Robert H. Colley
Photo courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News VA
| Name | Robert H. Colley | ||
| Type: | Steam tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 11.651 tons | ||
| Completed | 1938 - Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Chester PA | ||
| Owner | Atlantic Refining Co, Philadelphia PA | ||
| Homeport | Philadelphia | ||
| Date of attack | 3 Oct, 1942 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-254 (Odo Loewe) | ||
| Position | 59.06N, 26.18W - Grid AK 5561 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 61 (28 dead and 33 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | HX-209 | ||
| Route | Curaçao - New York - Clyde | ||
| Cargo | 120.273 barrels of Navy fuel oil | ||
| History | Completed in August 1938 | ||
| Notes on loss | At 14.32 hours on 3 Oct, 1942, the Robert H. Colley (Master James Joseph McCaffrey) in convoy HX-209 was hit by one torpedo from U-254 about 350 miles southwest of Reykjavik. The torpedo struck on the starboard side forward of the mainmast in the #6 tank and stopped the vessel, which broke in two after being hit by a coup de grâce at 14.42 hours. The ten officers, 34 crewmen and 17 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in, four 20mm and two .30cal guns) had difficulties to abandon ship in the extremely rough seas and a strong gale. No one on the forward section survived which sank during the night. Eleven men on the stern part launched two lifeboats and two empty rafts and rode beside of the ship to search more occupants until the painters parted. The boats and rafts were swept away and were never seen again. The remaining four officers, 20 crew men and nine armed guards on the after section remained on board until dawn when HMS Borage (K 120) (T/LtCdr A. Harrison, RNR) arrived to pick up survivors. Three men launched a workboat and seven more got off in a raft while 23 others jumped overboard. After picking up the survivors the corvette sank the afterpart with gunfire and depth charges in 58°44N/24°54W and landed them on 11 October in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. | ||
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