Cairndale, Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tanker, laid down as Erato, 8129 tons, Built 1939, 30/05/41, Td and sunk by Italian submarine Guglielmo Marconi ( Pollina ), in the Atlantic 170 miles west south west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain, in position 35.19N/08.33W, while sailing independently on a voyage from Gibraltar 26/05/41 to Curacao, in ballast. The master, Capt Reginald John Harland, and survivors were rescued by H.M. rescue tug St. Day and were landed at Gibraltar, 4 crew were lost. ( Page 1, " Merchant Ship Losses", Alan Tennent. ), Note: Because Italian submarines were larger than typical German subs, and they held more fuel, they were used against independently routed ships, for the most part, while German U-boats concentrated against convoys. Lack of British escort vessels, which could of escorted such a valuable ship contributed to her end. If the tanker had been fully laden with combustable cargo (oil, gas ) there would have likely been less survivors.