HMS Forfar (F 30)
British Armed Merchant Cruiser
HMS Forfar under her former name Montrose. Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales
| Name | HMS Forfar (F 30) | ||
| Type: | Armed Merchant Cruiser | ||
| Tonnage | 16,402 tons (one of the largest ships sunk). | ||
| Completed | 1922 - Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Govan, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | The Admiralty | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 2 Dec 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer) | ||
| Position | 54° 35'N, 18° 18'W - Grid AL 6581 | ||
| Complement | 193 (172 dead and 21 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | HX-90 | ||
| Route | |||
| Cargo | |||
| History | Laid down as steam passenger ship Montmorency, completed in March 1922 as Montrose for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd, Montreal. On 4 Sep 1939, requisitioned by the Royal Navy as armed merchant cruiser HMS Forfar (F 30). The conversion was completed in November 1939 and the ship was assigned to the Northern Patrol. | ||
| Notes on event | At 05.46 hours on 2 Dec 1940, HMS Forfar (F 30) (Capt N.A.C. Hardy, RN) was hit by one torpedo from U-99 after she had just left convoy HX-90 bound for OB-251 about 500 miles west of Ireland. She finally sank at 06.57 hours, after four additional torpedo hits at 06.39, 06.43, 06.50 and 06.57 hours. The master, 35 officers and 136 naval ratings were lost. Three officers and 18 naval ratings were rescued by HMCS St. Laurent (H 83) (Lt H.S. Rayner, RCN), HMS Viscount (D 92) (LtCdr M.S. Townsend, OBE, DSC, RN) and the Dunsley and landed at Oban. | ||
| More info | |||
| On board | We have details of 180 people who were on board. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.