Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Spring

British Catapult armed merchant


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NameEmpire Spring
Type:Catapult armed merchant (CAM)
Tonnage6,946 tons
Completed1941 - Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow 
OwnerDonaldson Brothers Ltd, Glasgow 
HomeportGreenock 
Date of attack14 Feb 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-576 (Hans-Dieter Heinicke)
Position43° 27'N, 58° 55'W - Grid BB 8851
Complement55 (55 dead - no survivors)
ConvoyON-63 (dispersed)
RouteManchester - Halifax 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in June 1941 for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) 
Notes on event

At 03.37 hours on 14 February 1942 the unescorted Empire Spring (Master Alexander McKechan), the ship of convoy commodore from the dispersed convoy ON-63, was hit on the starboard side by one of two G7e torpedoes from U-576 about 50 miles southeast of Sable Island. The Germans observed a small fire aboard and how the vessel sagged in the middle after two boiler explosions. However, the ship only broke in two and sank after being hit on the starboard side by a G7e torpedo fired from the stern torpedo tube as coup de grĂ¢ce at 03.53 hours. The master, the commodore (Capt A.D.H. Dibben, OBE, RNR), 42 crew members, five gunners and six naval staff members were lost.

 
On boardWe have details of 55 people who were on board


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