HMS Whitaker (K 580)
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| Name | HMS Whitaker (K 580) | ||
| Type: | Frigate (Captain) | ||
| Tonnage | 1.300 tons | ||
| Completed | 1944 - Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard Inc, Hingham MA | ||
| Owner | The Admiralty | ||
| Homeport | |||
| Date of attack | 1 Nov, 1944 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | A total loss by U-483 (Hans-Joachim von Morstein) | ||
| Position | 55.30N, 07.39W - Grid AM 5397 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | ? men (92 dead and ? survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-159 | ||
| Route | |||
| Cargo | |||
| History | Laid down as unnamed destroyer escort (DE 571) of the Buckley-class for the US Navy, completed as British frigate HMS Whitaker (K 580) on 28 Jan, 1944. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 02.07 hours on 1 Nov, 1944, U-483 fired two FAT torpedoes at the convoy SC-159 off Matlin Head, heard two detonations and sinking noises and claimed hits on two steamers. In fact, HMS Whitaker (K 580) (Lt G.P.W. Edwards, RN) had been hit and lost the whole bow forward of the bridge due to the explosion of the forward magazine. The commander, all seven officers and 84 ratings were lost. The British rescue ship Aboyne from the convoy took care of the wounded crew members. In the next two hours, the crew extinguished the fires and stopped the flooding of the vessel, which was then towed to Londonderry and later to Belfast. The frigate was declared a total loss and returned to the US Navy on 3 Dec, 1945. On 9 Jan, 1947, the wreck was sold for scrap to John Lee, Belfast and was subsequently broken up in 1948. | ||
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