In the afternoon of 11 Feb, 1945, the Persier (Master E. Mathieu), the ship of the convoy commodore in convoy BTC-65, was torpedoed by U-1017 four miles 340° from the Eddystone Lighthouse. A first torpedo prematurely exploded off the bow, another was seen to pass her stem but the third hit on the port side in #2 hold and caused a heavy list. While she settled by the bow the crew abandoned ship in the lifeboats but the rough weather swamped the first boat and another was smashed in the still turning propeller. 20 men were lost and eleven wounded from the complement of 51 Belgian crew members, four naval staff members, four gunners and four stowaways. 20 respectively seven survivors were rescued by the British coasters Gem and Birker Force and 16 by HMS Cornelian (T 15). The ship was taken in tow, but sank during the night in the Bigbury Bay in position 50°17N/03°58W.