Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Oil

British Steam tanker


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NameEmpire Oil
Type:Steam tanker
Tonnage8,029 tons
Completed1941 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough 
OwnerAnglo-American Oil Co Ltd, London 
HomeportMiddlesbrough 
Date of attack11 Sep 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-584 (Joachim Deecke)
Position51° 23'N, 28° 13'W - Grid AK 9881
Complement53 (3 dead and 50 survivors).
ConvoyON-127 (straggler)
RouteSwansea - Milford Haven (3 Sep) - New York 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in May 1941 for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) 
Notes on event

At 21.10 hours on 10 September 1942, U-659 (Stock) attacked convoy ON-127 southwest of Iceland and reported hits on two ships. In fact, two torpedoes hit the Empire Oil (Master Edward Marshall) at the bow and stern and stopped the tanker. At 01.47 hours the next day, U-584 sank the drifting Empire Oil with two coups de grâce. Two crew members were lost.

The master, 20 crew members and six gunners were picked up by HMCS St. Croix (I 81) (A/LtCdr A.N. Dobson, RCNR) and landed at St. John’s on 15 September. 19 crew members and five gunners were picked up by HMCS Ottawa (H 60) (A/LtCdr C.A. Rutherford, RCN), but one gunner died of wounds on 13 September. Twelve crew members and four gunners were lost when the destroyer was torpedoed and sunk by U-91 (Walkerling) on 14 September. Only seven men from Empire Oil survived the second sinking.

 
On boardWe have details of 20 people who were on board

Attack entries for Empire Oil

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
10 Sep 1942U-659Kptlt. Hans StockDamaged8,029  
11 Sep 1942U-584Kptlt. Joachim DeeckeSunk8,029  


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