Assyrian
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Assyrian | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 2,962 tons | ||
| Completed | 1915 - Blohm & Voss, Hamburg | ||
| Owner | Ellerman & Papayanni Lines Ltd, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 19 Oct 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-101 (Fritz Frauenheim) | ||
| Position | 57° 12'N, 10° 43'W - Grid AM 2958 | ||
| Complement | 51 (17 dead and 34 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-7 | ||
| Route | New Orleans - Sydney (5 Oct) - Liverpool | ||
| Cargo | 3700 tons of grain | ||
| History | Completed in May 1915 as motor merchant Fritz for Blohm & Voss, Hamburg. 1920 taken over by Britain and renamed Assyrian for Ellerman & Papayanni Lines Ltd, Liverpool. 1925 converted to steam merchant. | ||
| Notes on event | At 01.22 hours on 19 Oct 1940, U-101 fired three bow torpedoes at convoy SC-7 about 102 miles west by north of Barra Head, Outer Hebrides, and two minutes later the stern torpedo. Frauenheim reported four hits on four ships and claimed 21.000 grt sunk. However, the Assyrian was hit by a bow torpedo and the Soesterberg by the stern torpedo. The Assyrian (Master Reginald Sanderson Kearon) was the ship of convoy commodore (Vice-Admiral Lachlan D.I. Mackinnon, CB, CVO, RN). 15 crew members and two naval staff members were lost. The master, the commodore, three naval staff members, 20 crew members and nine passengers were picked up by HMS Leith (L 36) (Cdr R.C. Allen, RN) and landed at Liverpool. The master, Reginald Sanderson Kearon, was awarded the Lloyd´s War Medal for bravery at sea. | ||
| On board | We have details of 18 people who were on board. | ||
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