Dear all,

A new search for webpages referring to the torpedoing of the swedish BLANKAHOLM was started in Google, and every 'hit' reviewed, but this time I went further than previously and a hit on page 6 (!) of the Google results brought the folling information:

www.fold3.com
Admiralty War Diary Aug.24, 1942 (recall: the BLANKAHOLM was torpedoed on the 18th).

Said Diary was looked up in fold3 and says, quote:
"BLANKAHOLM (sunk 18/08)
Swedish BLANKAHOLM torpedoed 18/8 0405 G.M.T. 019°35'N, 076°25'W. Ship sunk immediately. C.B.'s went down with ship in 2000 fathoms in perforated boxes, except 02272 (20) copy number 11657 which Master brought ashore at Port Hamilton and handed to U.S. Routeing Officer today. Master, name Eric Lundberg, assured me this recoding table 20 has been safely locked up in leather, case in his personal keeping since he came ashore 18/8. Master appeared trustworthy.
(B.R.O. Havana 1612/24 to Admty. as amended 1145/25.)."

[historisches-marinearchiv.de] will be modified to show that, based on Admty War Diaries, both the EMPIRE BEDE and BLANKAHOLM were torpedoed by U553 Aug.18/1942 around 0600, while the JOHN HANCOCK was torpedoed by the same uboat shortly after 0900 (in U553's 2nd series of attacks on the 18th.).

Regards,
Walter