Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Byron

British Steam merchant


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NameEmpire Byron
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage6,645 tons
Completed1942 - Bartram & Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland 
OwnerJ. & C. Harrison Ltd, London 
HomeportSunderland 
Date of attack5 Jul 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-703 (Heinz Bielfeld)
Position76° 18'N, 33° 30'E - Grid AC 2625
Complement72 (10 dead and 62 survivors).
ConvoyPQ-17 (straggler)
RouteHull - Reykjavik (27 Jun) - Archangel 
Cargo2455 tons of military stores, 6 vehicles, 30 tanks and 15 aircraft 
History Completed in January 1942 for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) 
Notes on event

On 4 July 1942 the Empire Byron (Master John Wharton, MBE) in convoy PQ-17 was torpedoed by a German He111 torpedo bomber of II./KG 26 and fell behind convoy, where she was sunk by a coup de grâce by U-703 at 08.27 hours the next day. Three crew members, six gunners and one passenger were lost. The master, 42 crew members, twelve gunners and six passengers were picked up by HMS Dianella (K 07) (T/Lt J.G. Rankin, RNR) and landed at Archangel on 16 July. Another passenger, Captain J. Rimington (Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers), was taken prisoner by the U-boat and landed at Narvik on 15 July.

 
On boardWe have details of 14 people who were on board


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