Belgravian
British Steam merchant
Photo from naviearmatori.net
| Name | Belgravian | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 3,136 tons | ||
| Completed | 1937 - W. Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool | ||
| Owner | Ellerman & Papayanni Lines Ltd, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 5 Aug 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-372 (Heinz-Joachim Neumann) | ||
| Position | 53° 03'N, 15° 54'W - Grid AL 9392 | ||
| Complement | 50 (3 dead and 47 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SL-81 | ||
| Route | Port Harcourt - Freetown (15 Jul) - Hull | ||
| Cargo | 3946 tons of kernels, groundnuts and tin ore | ||
| History | Completed in September 1937 | ||
| Notes on event | Between 01.50 and 01.59 hours on 5 Aug 1941, U-372 fired four single torpedoes at ships in convoy SL-81 west of Ireland. First the stern torpedo struck the Belgravian, which burned out and sank the next day. Neumann reported that the second torpedo missed the intended target but exploded on a ship beyond, the third torpedo was a dud and the fourth hit an ammunition freighter, which exploded and sank by the bow in 50 seconds. The ship missed was the British steam merchant Volturno, but a hit on another ship is not confirmed. The ship sunk was the Swiftpool. Three crew members from the Belgravian (Master Reginald Sanderson Kearon, OBE) were lost. The master, 40 crew members and six gunners were picked up by HMS Bluebell (K 80) (LtCdr Robert E. Sherwood, RNR) and landed at Gourock. | ||
| On board | We have details of 4 people who were on board. | ||
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