Italian submarine fates

Ships hit by Italian submarines


Silverpine

TypeCargo ship
CountryBritish British
Built1924GRT5,066

Date of attack5 Dec 1940Time0339
0220 (e)
FateSunk by submarine Argo (T.V. Alberto Crepas)
Position of attack54° 14'N, 18° 08'W
Complement55 (36 dead and 19 survivors)
ConvoyOB.252
Notes At 0339 hours, the officer of the watch suddenly sighted a dark shape. A torpedo was immediately fired at a distance of 500 metres at a 12,000-ton two-funnel vessel. The torpedo hit after 35 seconds under the first funnel. A second explosion followed, attributed to a boiler and she sank. This was the steamer Silverpine (5,066 GRT, built 1924) in ballast and detached from convoy OB.252 bound from Glasgow to New York. Thirty-six were killed. Nineteen survivors were picked up by HMS Harvester at 0900 hours in 57°00' N, 17°30' W. The submarine was later hunted by HMS Harvester. Starting at 0412 hours, Argo reported three patterns of eight depth charges each.

Position of attack

Ships hit by Italian submarines