Ashcrest
British Steam merchant
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| Name | Ashcrest | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,652 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - Northumberland Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Howden-on-Tyne | ||
| Owner | Crest Shipping Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 8 Dec 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-140 (Hans-Peter Hinsch) | ||
| Position | 55° 12'N, 10° 20'W - Grid AM 5511 | ||
| Complement | 38 (38 dead - no survivors) | ||
| Convoy | SC-13 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Philadelphia - Middlesbrough | ||
| Cargo | Steel | ||
| History | Laid down as British War Chateau for The Shipping Controller, completed in May 1920 as Norwegian Erle for C. Arentz Rederi, Larvik. 1922 sold to Det Forenede Rederi A/S, Oslo and 1924 to A/S Erle (Fearnley & Eger), Oslo. 1927 sold to Yugoslavia and renamed Zrinski for Jugoslovensko Amerikaniska Plovidba, Spilt. 1928 sold to Jugoslavenski Lloyd Ackionarsko Drustvo, Split. 1940 sold to Britain and renamed Ashcrest for Crest Shipping Co Ltd, London. | ||
| Notes on event | On 7 Dec 1940 the Ashcrest (Master Herbert Mant), a straggler from convoy SC-13, sent in a distress signal that her rudder was broken in 54°35N/09°20W and was reported missing thereafter. The signal also alerted U-140 which sighted the stopped ship in the evening on 8 December and fired one G7e torpedo at 20.20 hours. It became a surface runner and missed, so after five minutes a second G7e torpedo was fired that hit underneath the bridge and broke her in two. The foreship sank immediately and the remaining part after 10 minutes. The master, 36 crew members and one gunner were lost. | ||
| On board | We have details of 38 people who were on board. | ||
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