Malabar
Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Malabar | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 7,976 tons | ||
| Completed | 1938 - William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
| Owner | T. & J. Brocklebank Ltd, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 29 Oct 1939 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-34 (Wilhelm Rollmann) | ||
| Position | 49.57N, 07.37W - Grid BF 1387 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 75 (5 dead and 70 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | HX-5A | ||
| Route | Philadelphia - Boston - Halifax (17 Oct) - London - Avonmouth | ||
| Cargo | General cargo, including lumber and tobacco | ||
| History | Completed in September 1938 | ||
| Notes on loss | At 01.50 hours on 29 Oct, 1939, U-34 fired two torpedoes at two steamers and one destroyer in convoy HX-5A about 180 miles west of Lands End and claimed two hits. In fact, only the ship of the convoy commodore, the Malabar (Master Henry Herbert Armstrong), was hit and sunk. Five crew members were lost. The master, the commodore (Rear Admiral G.W. Taylor, RNR), two naval staff members and 66 crew members were picked up by HMS Grafton (H 89) (Cdr M.S. Thomas, RN) and landed at Plymouth. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.