Scottish Heather
Photo Courtesy of Capt. S. Waldron
| Name | Scottish Heather | ||
| Type: | Steam tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 7,087 tons | ||
| Completed | 1928 - Sir W.G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne | ||
| Owner | Tankers Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 27 Dec 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Damaged by U-225 (Wolfgang Leimkühler) | ||
| Position | 46.15N, 26.20W - Grid BD 6835 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 54 (0 dead and 54 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | ONS-154 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Tyne - New York | ||
| Cargo | Ballast and 750 tons of fuel for the escorts | ||
| History | Completed in May 1928 Post-war: 1951 renamed Athelcrest for United Molasses Co Ltd, London. Broken up at Blyth in July 1954. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 21.35 hours on 27 Dec, 1942, the Scottish Heather was hit on the starboard side forward of the bridge by one torpedo from U-225, shortly after refueling HMCS Chilliwack (K 131) (T/A/LtCdr L.L. Foxall, RCNR) about 15 miles behind the convoy ONS-154. The corvette had spotted the surfaced U-boat before the attack and opened fire. The U-boat went on full speed and outmaneuvered the warship on the surface for the successful attack on the tanker. Then the corvette forced them to dive and dropped depth charges without damaging the U-boat. The crew of the Scottish Heather first abandoned ship in the lifeboats and set course for Ireland, but the second mate and a few men reboarded the tanker and managed to get her underway again. They searched in patterns for the lifeboats and found them in the afternoon. The tanker then continued to the Clyde under her own power and arrived on 2 January 1943. She was repaired and returned to service. | ||
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