At 18.55 hours on 6 October 1940 the unescorted British General (Master Frank Oswald Armstrong), dispersed from convoy OA-222, was hit underneath the bridge by one torpedo from U-37 about 550 miles west of Valentia Island. The hit had not much effect but the tanker stopped after being hit aft by a second torpedo at 23.10 hours. The U-boat stayed nearby during the night to wait for the ship to sink, but the disabled British General remained afloat. U-37 could not finish her off with the deck gun because she was armed and around noon the tanker crew even tried to communicate with the U-boat by Morse signals. The tanker finally sank in 51°42N/24°50W at 20.00 hours on 7 October, after being hit by two coups de grâce. The master, 45 crew members and one gunner were lost.