Saint Dunstan
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of Stuart Smith
| Name | Saint Dunstan | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,681 tons | ||
| Completed | 1919 - Northumberland Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Howden-on-Tyne | ||
| Owner | Saint Line Ltd (Rankin, Gilmour & Co), Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 24 Aug 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-57 (Erich Topp) | ||
| Position | 55° 44'N, 7° 32'W - Grid AM 5392 | ||
| Complement | 63 (14 dead and 49 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | OB-202 | ||
| Route | Glasgow - Baltimore | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Laid down as War Keep for The Shipping Controller, completed in July 1919 as Saint Dunstan for Saint Line Ltd (Gilmore Rankin & Co Ltd), Liverpool. | ||
| Notes on event | At 00.42 hours on 24 August 1940, U-57 attacked convoy OB-202 25 miles northeast of Malin Head, sank the Saint Dunstan and Cumberland and damaged Havildar. The Saint Dunstan (Master Thomas Gordon Cookes) was hit by one torpedo but remained afloat. The ship was abandoned by the crew on 25 August and she was taken in tow the next day, but sank on 27 August between Pladda Point and Holy Island, Irish Sea. 14 crew members were lost. The master and 48 crew members were picked up by the British rescue ship Copeland (Master J. McKellar, OBE), transferred to HMS Witch (D 89) (LtCdr J.R. Barnes, RN), later transferred to HMS Wanderer (D 74) (Cdr J.H. Ruck-Keene, DSC, RN) and landed at Belfast on 25 August. | ||
| On board | We have details of 15 people who were on board. | ||
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