At 00.30 hours on 24 Oct 1941, U-563 fired one torpedo at a steamer in convoy HG-75 which seemed to hit after a running time of 4 minutes 44 seconds. Eight minutes later, a spread of two torpedoes was fired against a turning destroyer which missed, but detonations were heard behind. In fact, HMS Cossack (G 03) (Capt E.L. Berthon, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN) was struck by one torpedo forward of the bridge, when she was at the rear of convoy. The explosion blew off the bow section and destroyed most of the forward section, killing the commander. The survivors (29 of them wounded) on Carley floats were picked up by HMS Legion (F 74) (Cdr R.F. Jessel, RN) and HMS Carnation (K 00) (LtCdr G.W. Houchen, OBE, RNR). The next morning, some volunteers reboarded the wrecked ship and got the engines running. The tug HMS Thames arrived from Gibraltar and took the destroyer in tow, escorted by HMS Jonquil (K 68) (LtCdr R.E.H. Partington, RNR). On 27 October, the weather worsened and prevented the salvage, so the tow was slipped and the corvette took off the skeleton crew. HMS Cossack (G 03) sank shortly afterwards in 35°12N/08°17W.