At 04.04 hours on 13 Jun, 1941, the Tresillian (Master Ernest George Old), dispersed on 7 June from convoy OB-330, was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-77 southeast of Cape Race. The ship had been spotted at 00.28 hours and was hit by a dud three hours later. After the hit, the ship stopped but the crew only prepared the lifeboats for launch and sent out emergency messages, so the U-boat opened fire with a machine gun at the bridge and after the crew abandoned ship shelled her with 87 rounds from the deck gun until 05.30 hours. Between 60 and 65 hits were scored, but no effect could be observed except a small fire. At 05.45 hours, a coup de grâce was fired which hit amidships and caused the ship to sink after breaking in two. The master, 44 crew members and one gunner were picked up by the US Coast Guard cutter USS Duane (WPG 33) and landed at St. Johns.