At 08.00 hours on 7 May 1941, U-97 spotted two merchants on west course southeast of Cape Farewell and four hours later two others that followed the first group. All ships had been dispersed from convoy OB-317. The U-boat chased the first ships and fired at 17.04 hours a torpedo at the Ramillies (Master William Henry Macey), but missed and was not able to fire at the ships of the second group because they were too far away. So the U-boat had to overtake the first group again during the night and fired at 12.14 hours on 8 May another torpedo at the same ship but again missed. At 18.13 hours, a third torpedo was fired which hit the Ramillies and stopped her but did not sink. At 18.48 hours, a coup de grâce was fired that malfunctioned, but the second at 19.03 hours hit the ship in the stern and caused her to sink fast in the vertical. The master, 25 crew members and three gunners were lost. Eleven crew members and one gunner were picked up by the British steam merchant Geddington Court and landed at Halifax.