Otterpool
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson Collection
| Name | Otterpool | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4,876 tons | ||
| Completed | 1926 - W. Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool | ||
| Owner | Sir R. Ropner & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool | ||
| Homeport | West Hartlepool | ||
| Date of attack | 20 Jun 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-30 (Fritz-Julius Lemp) | ||
| Position | 48° 45'N, 8° 13'W - Grid BF 1946 | ||
| Complement | 39 (23 dead and 16 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | HG-34F | ||
| Route | Bona - Middlesbrough | ||
| Cargo | 8180 tons of iron ore | ||
| History | Completed in July 1926 | ||
| Notes on event | At 21.42 hours on 20 June 1940 the Otterpool (Master Thomas Prince) in convoy HG-34F was hit by one stern torpedo from U-30 and sank about 130 miles west of Ushant. The master, 21 crew members and one gunner were lost. 16 crew members were picked up by HMS Scarborough (L 25) (Cdr C.T. Addis, RN) and landed at Liverpool. The Otterpool and another vessel of the same convoy had been missed during an attack by the same U-boat earlier that day. She was also missed by an attack from U-51 (Knorr) at 15.33 hours on 20 June. The U-boat had reported two explosions, but saw no other effects on two ships due to bad visibility. In fact, the Andalusian and the Otterpool were missed. According to the xB-Dienst reports, the BdU assumed that there had been hits on the Fellside (misidentification of Andalusian) and the Otterpool. | ||
| On board | We have details of 23 people who were on board. | ||
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