Ships hit by U-boats


Aviemore

British Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Harold Appleyard

NameAviemore
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,060 tons
Completed1920 - Irvine’s Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co Ltd, Middleton Shipyard, West Hartlepool 
OwnerFurness, Withy & Co Ltd, Liverpool 
HomeportLiverpool 
Date of attack16 Sep 1939Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-31 (Johannes Habekost)
Position49° 11'N, 13° 38'W - Grid BE 3850
Complement34 (23 dead and 11 survivors).
Convoy
RouteSwansea - Montevideo - Buenos Aires 
Cargo5105 tons of tinplate and black sheets 
History Completed in October 1920 
Notes on event

At 08.15 hours on 16 Sep 1939, U-31 fired one torpedo at the first ship in a convoy and saw it sinking after breaking in two. The Aviemore (Master Morton Forsythe) was in fact not part of the chased convoy OB-4, but was crossing ahead of convoy and sank immediately after being torpedoed about 220 miles southwest of Cape Clear. The master and 22 crew members were lost. Eleven crew members were picked up by HMS Warwick (D 25) (LtCdr M.A.G. Child, RN) and landed at Liverpool on 18 September.

The Aviemore was the first ship sunk by an U-boat during an attack on a convoy in the Second World War. The first successful attack on a ship in a convoy was made by U-35 when attacking convoy OA-7 on 21 September.

 
On boardWe have details of 23 people who were on board


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