At 00.23 hours on 16 Oct 1942 the unescorted Trafalgar (Master Nils Løken) was hit on the starboard side by one torpedo from U-129 about 1100 miles northeast of Guadeloupe. The torpedo struck below the bridge at #3 hold and probably caused a boiler explosion that destroyed both starboard lifeboats, laid down the derricks on the after deck and blew water all over the ship. The crew first remained on board and manned the guns, but all hands abandoned ship in the two port boats and the dinghy from the poop when the deck was awash as the ship sank slowly. The U-boat surfaced shortly afterwards and questioned the survivors who told them that the master had gone down with the ship. On 25 October, the lifeboats made landfall at La Désirade Island, Guadeloupe, but risking internment by the Vichy French authorities they had to continue, and landed the next day on Dominica, West Indies.