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.

Three crew members from the Belgravian (Master Richard Sanderson Kearon OBE) were lost. The master, 40 crew members and six gunners were picked up by HMS Bluebell (K 80) (LtCdr Robert E. Sherwood, RNR) and landed at Gourock.