HMS Worcestershire (F 29)
British Armed Merchant Cruiser
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | HMS Worcestershire (F 29) | ||
| Type: | Armed Merchant Cruiser | ||
| Tonnage | 11,402 tons | ||
| Completed | 1931 - Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Govan, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | The Admiralty | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 3 Apr 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Damaged by U-74 (Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat) | ||
| Position | 58° 19'N, 27° 25'W - Grid AK 3688 | ||
| Complement | ? men (1 dead and ? survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-26 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | |||
| Cargo | |||
| History | Completed in February 1931 as motor passenger ship Worcestershire for Bibby Brothers & Co, Liverpool. On 17 Sep 1939, requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to the armed merchant cruiser HMS Worcestershire (F 29) until 21 November. Post-war: In October 1947 returned to owner. 1961 sold to Japan and renamed Kannon Maru for C. Itoh & Co. Broken up at Osaka in December 1961. | ||
| Notes on event | At 05.42 hours on 3 April 1941, HMS Worcestershire (F 29) (A/Capt John Cresswell, RN), ocean escort from the dispersed convoy SC-26, was hit by one G7e torpedo from U-74. The ship had been missed by a first G7e torpedo at 05.39 hours and was then hit underneath the bridge by the second torpedo, which was a surface runner. The U-boat had fired its last torpedo and could only observe how the ship stopped for two hours and then continued to Liverpool under escort by HMS Hurricane (H 06) (LtCdr H.C. Simms, RN). At 14.22 hours, U-69 (Metzler) tried to attack the damaged ship, but was chased away by two destroyers. | ||
| On board | We have details of 3 people who were on board. | ||
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