Blairspey
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, N51657
| Name | Blairspey | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4,155 tons | ||
| Completed | 1929 - Ardrossan Dockyard & Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Ardrossan | ||
| Owner | George Nisbet & Co, Glasgow | ||
| Homeport | Glasgow | ||
| Date of attack | 19 Oct 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Damaged by U-100 (Joachim Schepke) | ||
| Position | 57° 55'N, 11° 10'W - Grid AM 2919 | ||
| Complement | 34 (0 dead and 34 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-7 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Rimouski, Quebec - Sydney, CB - Grangemouth | ||
| Cargo | 1798 standards of timber | ||
| History | Completed in October 1929 Post-war: In 1946 the Empire Spey was returned to her pre-war owner and renamed Blairspey. 1961 renamed Evandros under Lebanese flag for Marfuente Cia Nav SA (J.P. Hadoulis), Panama. Broken up in La Spezia in May 1967. | ||
| Notes on event | At 23.08 hours on 18 October 1940 U-101 (Frauenheim) attacked convoy SC-7 east-northeast of Rockall and claimed two ships with 9500 grt sunk and one with 6000 grt damaged. According to Allied sources only the Blairspey (Master J.C. Walker) was hit by one or two torpedoes at this time and fell behind convoy. At 02.50 hours on 19 October 1940 the now straggling Blairspey was hit by two torpedoes from U-100, but the badly damaged ship remained afloat because her load of timber and was saved. The Blairspey was not repaired until 1942, when she was rebuilt with a new forepart for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), but still managed by her old owner and renamed Empire Spey. | ||
Attack entries for Blairspey
| Date | U-boat | Commander | Loss type | Tons | Nat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1940 | U-101 | Kptlt. Fritz Frauenheim | Damaged | 4,155 | |
| 19 Oct 1940 | U-100 | Kptlt. Joachim Schepke | Damaged | 4,155 | |
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