Aldersdale
British Fleet oiler
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| Name | Aldersdale | ||
| Type: | Fleet oiler (Abbeydale) | ||
| Tonnage | 8,402 tons | ||
| Completed | 1937 - Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
| Owner | The Admiralty (Royal Fleet Auxiliary), London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 7 Jul 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-457 (Karl Brandenburg) | ||
| Position | 75° 00'N, 45° 00'E - Grid AC 3834 | ||
| Complement | 54 (0 dead and 54 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | PQ-17 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | Reykjavik - Archangel | ||
| Cargo | Aviation spirit | ||
| History | Completed in September 1937 | ||
| Notes on event | On 5 July 1942 the Aldersdale (Master Archibald Hobson), dispersed from convoy PQ-17, was bombed and heavily damaged by German Ju88 aircraft of III./KG 30 in the Barents Sea north of the Kola Peninsula. The motor tanker was first taken in tow by HMS Salamander (N 86) (Lt W.R. Muttram, RN), but was later abandoned. The master and 53 crew members transferred to the minesweeper and landed at Archangel on 11 July. Between 11.40 and 13.00 hours on 7 July, U-457 shelled the abandoned Alderdale with the 88mm gun (38 high explosive shells and 37 incendiary shells) and the 2cm Flak (40 rounds). At 14.56 hours, the U-boat fired a coup de grâce, which broke the ship in two. Both parts sank within 20 minutes. | ||
| On board | We have details of 1 people who were on board. | ||
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