Hertford
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Hertford | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 10.923 tons | ||
| Completed | 1917 - Bremer Vulkan, Vegesack | ||
| Owner | Federal Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 29 Mar, 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-571 (Helmut Möhlmann) | ||
| Position | 40.50N, 63.31W - Grid CB 2753 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 62 (4 dead and 58 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Sydney NSW - Brisbane - Wellington - Colon (21 Mar) - Halifax - UK | ||
| Cargo | 12.103 tons of general cargo, including refrigerated meat | ||
| History | Launched as Rheinland, completed in June 1920 as Friesland for Hamburg-Amerika Linie (HAPAG), Hamburg. 1922 taken over by Britain and renamed Hertford. On 7 Dec, 1940, the Hertford struck a mine laid by the German raider Pinguin at the entrance to Spencer Gulf off Liguana Island, South Australia. After temporary repairs at Port Lincoln she was eventually towed to Adelaide for further repairs, then to Sydney and returned to service on 20 Jan, 1942. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 20.58 hours on 29 Mar, 1942, the unescorted Hertford (Master John Collier Tuckett) was hit by two torpedoes from U-571 about 200 miles south of Halifax. The ship was hit at 21.31 hours by a coup de grâce and sank four minutes later by the stern. Four crew members were lost. The master and 18 crew members landed at Liverpool, Nova Scotia. 21 crew members were picked up by the British steam merchant Glenstrae. 16 crew members and two gunners were picked up by the British steam merchant Fort Townsend and landed at Halifax. | ||
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