Ships hit by U-boats


Benvrackie

British Steam merchant



Benvrackie under her former name Darian

NameBenvrackie
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage6,434 tons
Completed1922 - D. & W. Henderson & Co Ltd, Partrick, Glasgow 
OwnerBen Line Steamers (William Thomson & Co), Leith 
HomeportLeith 
Date of attack13 May 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-105 (Georg Schewe)
Position0° 49'N, 20° 15'W - Grid FD 36
Complement83 (28 dead and 55 survivors).
ConvoyOB-312 (dispersed)
RouteLondon - Loch Ewe - Capetown - Beira 
Cargo5850 tons of general cargo, including silver and one aircraft (Gipsy Moth) 
History Completed in September 1922 as Darian for F. Leyland & Co Ltd, Liverpool. 1934 sold to Charente SS Co Ltd (T. & J. Harrison) Liverpool. 1939 renamed Benvrackie for Ben Line Steamers (William Thomson & Co), Leith. 
Notes on event

At 07.48 hours on 13 May 1941 the Benvrackie (Master William Edward Rawlings Eyton-Jones), dispersed from convoy OB-312, was hit aft by two G7e torpedoes from U-105 and sank after 4 minutes about 700 miles southwest of Freetown. On 9 May, the ship had picked up 25 survivors from the Lassell, which had been sunk by U-107 (Hessler) on 30 April. U-105 had spotted the zigzagging ship in the evening on 11 May, missed with one G7a and one G7e torpedo at 20.30 and 20.54 hours on 12 May and finally sank her after a chase of 34 hours. 13 crew members and 15 survivors were lost. The survivors were questioned by the Germans. The master, 40 crew members, four gunners and ten survivors were rescued after 13 days in lifeboats by the British hospital ship HMHS Oxfordshire and landed at Freetown.

The master William Edward Rawlings Eyton-Jones was awarded the Lloyds War Medal for bravery at sea.

 
On boardWe have details of 33 people who were on board


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