At 02.09 hours on 27 Sep 1941, U-201 fired the stern torpedo at a steamer in convoy HG-73 but missed, so the U-boat turned around and fired a spread of two torpedoes at the same ship at 02.11 hours. Lookouts on HMS Springbank (Capt C.H. Godwin, DSO, RN) on station in the fifth column observed a torpedo passing between her and the Leadgate in station #41, shortly before the fighter catapult ship was hit on the port side by two torpedoes about 430 miles west-southwest of Cape Clear. Most survivors from the vessel were rescued by HMS Jasmine (K 23) (LtCdr C.D.B. Coventry, RNR), which went alongside to take off survivors and later scuttled her by gunfire after an attempt to sink her with depth charges failed. One officer and 31 ratings were lost. Other survivors were picked up by HMS Hibiscus (K 24) (LtCdr C.G. Cuthbertson, RNR), which landed them at Gibraltar and by HMS Periwinkle (K 55) (LtCdr P.G. MacIver, RNR) which landed them at Milford Haven.

On 18 September, HMS Springbank had launched the Fulmar fighter, which chased away a German Fw200 Condor aircraft and landed at Gibraltar where it was discovered that faulty ammunition had caused all but one of the guns to jam. The next day her AA armament was used to keep a shadowing Fw200 at distance to convoy.