On 18 Feb 1944 the Colin (Master Herbert E. Byng, British) left Port Sulphur in convoy for New York arriving there on 29 February. Then the ship proceeded to Boston arriving on 10 March. On 17 March, she left Boston in convoy BX-100 for Halifax arriving two days later. She sailed first with convoy SC-156 but was forced to return to Halifax due to engine trouble. She left again on 19 April in station #135 of convoy SC-157, but dropped out of convoy the night of 24 April because of a broken steering gear.
At 20.46 hours on 26 April, the Colin was hit by two torpedoes from U-859 on port side, while proceeding alone on the straggler´s route. The first torpedo struck at #1 hatch and the other at #6 hatch. The cargo in the first hold caught fire immediately and the fumes covered the ship. The 2nd cook, a Chinese citizen, panicked, jumped overboard and drowned. The Colin settled gradually on an even keel. Shortly after the ship was abandoned by the remaining 39 crew members and 15 armed guards, a third torpedo struck on the port side amidships. When the smoke cleared, the ship had disappeared.
The survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats, a gig and all rafts except one. All were picked up by the British frigates HMS Affleck (K 462) and HMS Bentley (K 465) the next day and were later transferred to the British rescue ship Accrington when the frigates rejoined convoy. The survivors arrived in Gourock, Scotland on 1 May. They were repatriated on the French troopship Ile de France, arriving in New York on 18 May.