Nailsea Lass
British Steam merchant
Nailsea Lass under her former name Specialist. Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Nailsea Lass | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4,289 tons | ||
| Completed | 1917 - J. Readhead & Sons, South Shields | ||
| Owner | E.R. Management Co Ltd, Cardiff | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 24 Feb 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-48 (Herbert Schultze) | ||
| Position | 50° 15'N, 10° 45'W - Grid BF 1185 | ||
| Complement | 36 (5 dead and 31 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SLS-64 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Calcutta - Capetown - Freetown (30 Jan) - Oban - London | ||
| Cargo | 1301 tons of charcoal, 1041 tons of pig iron, 300 tons of iron ore and 10 tons of tea, hemp and jute | ||
| History | Completed in June 1917 as Santille for Scrutton, Sons & Co (Godalming SS Co Ltd), London. 1920 renamed Specialist for Charents SS Co Ltd (T. & J. Harrison), Liverpool. 1936 renamed Nailsea Lass for Nailsea SS Co Ltd (E.R. Management Co Ltd), Cardiff. | ||
| Notes on event | At 21.43 hours on 24 February 1941 the unescorted Nailsea Lass (Master Thomas Llewellyn Bradford), a straggler from convoy SLS-64, was hit under the bridge by one torpedo from U-48 and sank by the bow at 22.19 hours about 60 miles southwest of Fastnet. Five crew members were lost. The master and the chief officer Alfred Hodder were taken prisoner, landed at St. Nazaire on 27 February and taken to the German POW camp Marlag und Milag Nord. The second officer E.J. Knight and 18 crew members landed at Ballyoughtraugh, Co. Kerry and the third officer and nine crew members near Berehaven, Co. Cork. | ||
| On board | We have details of 11 people who were on board. | ||
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