Eocene
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| Name | Eocene | ||
| Type: | Steam tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 4,216 tons | ||
| Completed | 1922 - Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp, Baltimore MD | ||
| Owner | Socony Vacuum Transportation Co Ltd, Montreal | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 20 May 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-431 (Wilhelm Dommes) | ||
| Position | 31.56N, 25.14E - Grid CO 9125 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 43 (0 dead and 43 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | AT-46 | ||
| Route | Alexandria (18 May) - Tobruk | ||
| Cargo | 1980 tons of benzine and 3700 tons of water | ||
| History | Laid down as Fort McHenry for US Shipping Board (USSB), completed in August 1922 for Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp, Baltimore MD. 1923 renamed Vacoil for Vacuum Oil Co Inc, New York. 1929 sold to Germany and renamed Schulau for Deutsche Vacuum Oel AG, Hamburg. 1935 sold to Britain and renamed Eocene for Standard Transportation Co Ltd, Hong Kong. 1941 transferred to Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on loss | At 20.19 hours on 20 May 1942, the Eocene (Master H.W. Wilcox) in convoy AT-46 was hit by two torpedoes from U-431 and sank near Sollum. The master, 34 crew members, six gunners and two army engineers were picked up by HMS Cocker and landed at Tobruk. | ||
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