At 19.04 hours on 1 Aug 1940, HMS Spearfish (N 69) (LtCdr J.H. Forbes, DSO, RN) was hit in the forepart by one torpedo from U-34 and sank immediately about 180 miles west-southwest of Stavanger. The U-boat was returning from its last patrol as a combat boat and only had one torpedo remaining, when they first spotted a periscope at 18.17 hours and dived. At 18.48 hours, the conning tower of the British submarine became visible and Rollmann fired the last torpedo over the bow. One minute after the hit, the Germans surfaced and approached the sinking position where they picked up the sole survivor Able Seaman William V. Pester (on his first patrol) and took him as prisoner to Wilhelmshaven. The commander, four officers and 36 ratings were lost.