Orcades
| Name | Orcades | ||
| Type: | Troop transport | ||
| Tonnage | 23.456 tons (one of the largest ships sunk). | ||
| Completed | 1937 - Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness | ||
| Owner | Orient Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 10 Oct, 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-172 (Carl Emmermann) | ||
| Position | 31.51S, 18.30E - Grid GR 7335 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 1065 (48 dead and 1017 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Suez - Capetown (9 Oct) - UK | ||
| Cargo | 711 passengers and troops and 3000 tons of general cargo | ||
| History | Completed in July 1937 as steam passenger ship. 1939 requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as troopship. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 10.28 hours on 10 Oct, 1942, the unescorted Orcades (Master Charles Fox) was hit by two torpedoes from U-172 about 280 miles northwest of Capetown. The U-boat had to fire five more torpedoes at 10.45, 10.54 (a dud), 12.49, 12.50 and 12.54 hours until the ship sank with a list to starboard at 13.00 hours. 28 crew members, two gunners and 18 passengers were lost. The master, 289 crew members, 34 gunners and 693 passengers were picked up by the Polish steam merchant Narwik (Master Zawarda) and landed at Capetown on 12 October. The master Charles Fox was awarded the Lloyds War Medal for bravery at sea. | ||
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