Atheltemplar
British Motor tanker
Photo courtesy of John Ward-McQuaid
| Name | Atheltemplar | ||
| Type: | Motor tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 8,939 tons | ||
| Completed | 1930 - Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
| Owner | United Molasses Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 14 Sep 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-408 (Reinhard von Hymmen) | ||
| Position | 76° 10'N, 18° 00'E - Grid AB 35 | ||
| Complement | 61 (3 dead and 58 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | PQ-18 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Tyne - Loch Ewe - Hvalfjodur, Iceland - Archangel | ||
| Cargo | 9400 tons of Admiralty fuel oil | ||
| History | Completed in June 1930. On 14 Dec 1939, the Atheltemplar in convoy FN-53 was damaged by a mine laid by German destroyers two days earlier 11 miles off the Tyne Estuary. Two crew members were lost. The tanker was assisted by the destroyer HMS Mohawk (F 31) (Cdr J.W.M. Eaton, RN) and taken in tow by the tugs Joffre and Langton, arriving in the Tyne the next day where she was repaired and returned to service in April 1940. On 1 Mar 1941, the Atheltemplar (Master Arthur Hill Coates Waterson) in convoy EN-79 was bombed and damaged by a German He111 aircraft in 57°04N/01°50W. The master and ten crew members were lost. The tanker caught fire and burned out, but was taken in tow by HMS Eridge (L 68) (LtCdr W.F.N. Gregory-Smith, RN) and HMS Speedwell (J 87) (LtCdr J.J. Youngs, RNR), arriving in Methil on 3 March. She was repaired in North Shields and returned to service in June 1941. | ||
| Notes on event | At 04.00 hours on 14 Sep 1942, U-457 (Brandenburg) attacked convoy PQ-18 southwest of Bear Island and reported one tanker and one other ship sunk and two hits on a Javelin-class destroyer. In fact, only the Atheltemplar (Master Carl Ray) was hit and the crew immediately abandoned the burning tanker. The minesweeper HMS Harrier (J 71) (Cdr A.D.H. Jay DSC, RN) attempted to scuttle the vessel by gunfire but failed and the tanker was left behind, last seen burning furiously but still afloat. The master, 42 crew members and 18 gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Copeland (Master William Joseph Hartley, DSC) and the British destroyer HMS Offa (G 29) (LtCdr R.A. Ewing, RN) and transferred to the British minesweepers HMS Harrier and HMS Sharpshooter (J 68) (LtCdr W.L. O´Mara, RN). Later they were transferred to the British cruiser HMS Scylla (98) (Capt I.A.P. Macintyre, CBE, RN) and landed at Scapa Flow. Three crew members later died from their injuries. The master of the rescue ship, W.J. Hartley, was awarded the Lloyd´s War Medal for bravery at sea. At 14.30 hours on 14 September, U-408 came across the capsized wreck of the Atheltemplar and sank her with a few shots from the 88mm gun. | ||
| On board | We have details of 6 people who were on board. | ||
Attack entries for Atheltemplar
| Date | U-boat | Commander | Loss type | Tons | Nat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 1942 | U-408 | Kptlt. Reinhard von Hymmen | Sunk | 8,939 | |
| 14 Sep 1942 | U-457 | KrvKpt. Karl Brandenburg | Damaged | 8,939 | |
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