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Allied Warships

HMS Dunvegan Castle

Armed Merchant Cruiser

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeArmed Merchant Cruiser
Class 
Pennant 
Built byHarland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast 
Ordered 
Laid down 
Launched26 Mar, 1936 
Commissioned20 Dec, 1939 
Lost27 Aug, 1940 
Loss position54.54N, 11.00W (See a map)
 
HistoryOn 7 September 1939 the passenger ship Dunvegan Castle of the Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd, London was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. Conversion was completed on 20 December 1939.

Displacement: 15007 BRT
Armament: 8x 152mm, 2x 76mm
Speed: 17 knots

Career:
January 40 - April 40: South Atlantic Station
May 40 - August 40: Freetown Escort Force

At 21.47 hours on 27 August 1940 HMS Dunvegan Castle (Capt. Hubert Ardill (retired), RN), escorting convoy SL-43, was torpedoed and damaged by the German submarine U-46 about 120 nautical miles southwest of Cape Clear. The vessel foundered in position 54º54'N, 11º00'W the next day. The master, 249 officers and ratings were rescued, twelve of them wounded, and landed in Scotland.

Commanding Officer:
Capt. Hubert Ardill (retired), RN
18 October 1939 - 27 August 1940 

Hit by U-boat
Sunk on 27 Aug, 1940 by U-46 (Endrass).

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