Orminster
British Steam merchant
Orminister under her former name Clan Keith. Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales
| Name | Orminster | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,712 tons | ||
| Completed | 1914 - Bartram & Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland | ||
| Owner | South American Saint Line, Cardiff | ||
| Homeport | Cardiff | ||
| Date of attack | 25 Aug 1944 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-480 (Hans-Joachim Förster) | ||
| Position | 50° 09'N, 0° 44'W - Grid BF 3278 | ||
| Complement | 62 (7 dead and 55 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | FTM-74 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Juno Beach, Normandy - Portsmouth | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Completed in March 1914 as Etonian for Cambrian Steam Navigation Co Ltd (J. Mathias & Sons), London. 1918 renamed Clan Keith for The Clan Line Steamers Ltd (Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd), London. 1921 renamed Hilarius for British & South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd (R.P. Houston & Co), Liverpool. 1923 returned to previous owner and renamed Clan Keith. 1937 renamed Orminster for Minster SS Co Ltd (Thomas Eeles & Co), London. 1940 sold to South American Saint Line, Cardiff. | ||
| Notes on event | At 14.43 hours on 25 August 1944 the Orminster (Master Harold Gittins), a straggler from convoy FTM-74, was torpedoed and sunk by U-480 about 35 miles northwest of Cap d’Antifer. One crew member and four gunners were lost. The master, 42 crew members, 13 gunners and one army storekeeper were picked up by HMS Pennywort (K 111) (T/Lt W.P. Hart, RNR) and HMS Damsay (T 208) (T/Lt A.M. Sullivan, RNVR) and landed at Portsmouth, but two gunners died of wounds after being rescued. | ||
| On board | We have details of 11 people who were on board. | ||
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