Holystone
British Steam merchant
Photo from City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 447-2303
| Name | Holystone | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,462 tons | ||
| Completed | 1927 - Short Bros Ltd, Pallion, Sunderland | ||
| Owner | Common Brothers Ltd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne | ||
| Homeport | Newcastle | ||
| Date of attack | 15 Feb 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-123 (Karl-Heinz Moehle) | ||
| Position | 55° 39'N, 25° 15'W - Grid AL 4195 | ||
| Complement | 40 (40 dead - no survivors) | ||
| Convoy | OB-284 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | Hull - Oban - Halifax | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Completed in December 1927 | ||
| Notes on event | At 00.38 hours on 15 February 1941 the unescorted Holystone (Master John Stewart Bain), dispersed from convoy OB-284 on 13 February, was hit on port side aft by one torpedo from U-123 about 500 miles south-southwest of Iceland. The U-boat had unsuccessfully attacked the Penolver from the same dispersed convoy on 14 February and was chasing this ship when spotting the Holystone. Moehle decided to go after the bigger freighter, but then missed her with five single fired torpedoes between 22.15 hours on 14 February and 00.12 hours on 15 February. The sixth torpedo eventually struck the ship which disappeared in a very heavy explosion, presumably caused by the detonation of the magazine for the stern gun. The master, 35 crew members and four gunners were lost. | ||
| Revisions | April 2015 by Rainer Kolbicz: Earlier this attack of U-123 was attributed with the sinking of Alnmoor, but newer research shows that the ship sunk was Holystone. The Alnmoor was sunk by the Italian submarine Bianchi on 14 February 1941. | ||
| On board | We have details of 40 people who were on board. | ||
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