Bibury
Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Bibury | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4.616 tons | ||
| Completed | 1929 - R. Duncan & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Alexander Capper & Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 31 Aug, 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-59 (Joachim Matz) | ||
| Position | Grid AM 5157 - See estimated map location (55.20N10.33W) * | ||
| Complement | 36 (36 dead - no survivors) | ||
| Convoy | OB-205 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | Cardiff (23 Aug) - Milford Haven (28 Aug) - Buenos Aires | ||
| Cargo | 7465 tons of coal | ||
| History | | ||
| Notes on loss | At 02.06 hours on 31 Aug, 1940, U-59 fired a spread of two torpedoes at a ship in a group of three freighters which were dispersed from convoy OB-205 on 30 August. The ship was hit by both torpedoes and sank by the bow in 5 minutes. This was most likely the Bibury (Master James Ellerby Hunter) that was reported missing after the convoy was dispersed. The master, 37 crew members and one gunner were lost. For a long time it was thought that she had been sunk by a German raider, but the body of a crew member was washed ashore at Tobermory on 21 September. | ||
* Estimated position shown here is based on positions of losses in a roughly the same German grid code. It may be a bit off but should give a good idea as to where the attack took place.
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