Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Volunteer

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NameEmpire Volunteer
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage5,319 tons
Completed1921 - Harbour Marine Co Ltd, Victoria BC 
OwnerJohn Cory & Sons Ltd, Cardiff 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack15 Sep 1940Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-48 (Heinrich Bleichrodt)
Position56.43N, 15.17W - Grid AM 1998
- See location on a map -
Complement39 (6 dead and 33 survivors).
ConvoySC-3
RouteWabana - Glasgow 
Cargo7700 tons of iron ore 
History

built as Canadian Traveller for Canadian Government (Merchant Marine Ltd), Montreal; 1932 renamed Italian Procida for Achille Lauro, Naples.

On 10 Jun, 1940, the Procida was seized by Britain at Cardiff and renamed Empire Volunteer by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 

Notes on loss

At 03.00 hours on 15 Sep, 1940, the Empire Volunteer (Master Benjamin Pearson) in convoy SC-3 was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 65 miles west of Rockall. Six crew members were lost. The master and six crew members were picked up by the Norwegian merchant Fido and landed at Belfast. 26 crew members were picked up by the Norwegian merchant Granli and landed at Glasgow.

 


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