Conch
British Motor tanker
Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Conch | ||
| Type: | Motor tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 8,376 tons | ||
| Completed | 1931 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Govan, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 3 Dec 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer) | ||
| Position | 54° 21'N, 19° 30'W - Grid AL 6558 | ||
| Complement | 53 (0 dead and 53 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | HX-90 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Trinidad - Bermuda - Clyde | ||
| Cargo | 11.214 tons of Admiralty fuel oil | ||
| History | Completed in December 1931 | ||
| Notes on event | At 05.25 hours on 2 Dec 1940 the Conch (Master Charles George Graham) in convoy HX-90 was hit by one torpedo from U-47 (Prien) about 370 miles west of Bloody Foreland in 55°40N/19°00W and dropped behind convoy. Between 09.05 and 09.32 hours, U-95 (Schreiber) fired four torpedoes at the Conch and hit twice the foreship with only little effect and stopped the vessel with a hit in the engine room, but was then attacked by a destroyer and driven away. The abandoned tanker was finally sunk by one torpedo from U-99 at 10.58 hours on 3 December. The master and 52 crew members were picked up by the HMCS St. Laurent (H 83) (Lt H.S. Rayner, RCN) and landed at Greenock. | ||
Attack entries for Conch
| Date | U-boat | Commander | Loss type | Tons | Nat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec 1940 | U-47 | Kptlt. Günther Prien | Damaged | 8,376 | |
| 2 Dec 1940 | U-95 | Kptlt. Gerd Schreiber | Damaged | 8,376 | |
| 3 Dec 1940 | U-99 | Kptlt. Otto Kretschmer | Sunk | 8,376 | |
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.