Ships hit by U-boats


HMS Bedfordshire (FY 141)

British A/S trawler



NameHMS Bedfordshire (FY 141)
Type:A/S trawler
Tonnage913 tons
Completed1935 - Smith´s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank, Middlesbrough 
OwnerThe Admiralty 
HomeportGrimsby 
Date of attack12 May 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-558 (Günther Krech)
Position34° 10'N, 76° 41'W - Grid DC 1183
Complement37 (37 dead - no survivors)
Convoy
Route 
Cargo 
History In August 1939, the steam trawler Bedfordshire of Bedfordshire Fishing Co Ltd (H. Markham Cook), Grimsby was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an A/S trawler. 
Notes on event

At 05.40 hours on 12 May 1942, HMS Bedfordshire (FY 141) (Lt R.B. Davis, RNR) was hit by one torpedo from U-558, while on anti-submarine patrol under control by the US Navy off Cape Lookout, North Carolina. The ship blew up and all hands were lost.

Four bodies were washed up on Ocracoke Island and were buried there. The site is now a Commonwealth War Cemetery, the lease was handed over to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1977 at a ceremony attended by the entire island population. Two other bodies were recovered later and were buried in the Baptist Cemetery at Creeds, Virginia.

One crewmember survived because he missed the ship´s sailing. This was Sam Nutt, who talks about his lucky escape in the documentary Attack America (Part 2 of The U-Boat War trilogy).

 
On boardWe have details of 37 people who were on board


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