Swiftpool
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Swiftpool | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,205 tons | ||
| Completed | 1929 - W. Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool | ||
| Owner | Sir R. Ropner & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool | ||
| Homeport | West Hartlepool | ||
| Date of attack | 5 Aug 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-372 (Heinz-Joachim Neumann) | ||
| Position | 53.03N, 16.00W - Grid AL 9392 | ||
| Complement | 44 (42 dead and 2 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SL-81 | ||
| Route | Pepel - Freetown (15 Jul) - Middlesbrough | ||
| Cargo | 8000 tons of iron ore | ||
| History | Completed in August 1929 | ||
| Notes on loss | Between 01.50 and 01.59 hours on 5 Aug, 1941, U-372 fired four single torpedoes at ships in the convoy SL-81 west of Ireland. First the stern torpedo struck the Belgravian, which burned out and sank the next day. Neumann reported that the second torpedo missed the intended target but exploded on a ship beyond, the third torpedo was a dud and the fourth hit an ammunition freighter, which exploded and sank by the bow in 50 seconds. The ship missed was the British steam merchant Volturno, but a hit on another ship is not confirmed. The ship sunk was the Swiftpool. The master, 36 crew members and five gunners from the Swiftpool (Master Harry Raymond Clark) were lost. Two crew members were picked up by HMS Bluebell (K 80) (LtCdr R.E. Sherwood, RNR) and landed at Greenock. | ||
| Crewlists | We have listing of 40 people who were on this vessel | ||
Location of attack on Swiftpool.
ship sunk.
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