Cresswell
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| Name | Cresswell | ||
| Type: | Steam trawler | ||
| Tonnage | 275 tons | ||
| Completed | 1917 - Smith´s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank, Middlesbrough | ||
| Owner | Boston Deep Sea Fishing Co, Fleetwood | ||
| Homeport | Fleetwood | ||
| Date of attack | 12 Nov 1939 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-41 (Gustav-Adolf Mugler) | ||
| Position | Grid AM 3542 - See estimated map location (58.47N08.05W) * | ||
| Complement | 13 (6 dead and 7 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Fleetwood - Flannan Isles | ||
| Cargo | Fish | ||
| History | Built as armed trawler HMS William Beatty of the Castle-class for the Admiralty. Sold to the fishing industry on 4 May 1920 and renamed Cresswell. Registration code: M 129 | ||
| Notes on loss | At 07.00 hours on 12 Nov, 1939, the Cresswell was stopped by gunfire from U-41 while fishing 18 miles northwest by west of Flannan Isles, Outer Hebrides. The Germans ordered the crew to abandon ship and they then shelled and sunk the trawler from some distance, suspecting a Q-ship. Eight survivors were picked up by the U-boat, but one died of wounds and was buried at sea. Mugler planned to put them on another ship later on. At 09.55 hours, they witnessed the sinking of the Arne Kjøde and were transferred to the British trawler Phyllisia at 16.42 hours. | ||
* Estimated position shown here is based on positions of losses in a roughly the same German grid code. It may be a bit off but should give a good idea as to where the attack took place.
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