At 11.49 hours on 20 February 1945 HMS Vervain (K 190) (T/A/LtCdr R.A. Howell, RNVR) was hit on starboard side by a torpedo from U-1276 while escorting convoy HX-337 and sank at 12.12 hours about 25 miles south-east of Dungarvan, Ireland. The commander, three officers and 56 ratings were lost. The U-boat was sunk after this attack by HMS Amethyst (U 16) (LtCdr N. Scott-Elliot, DSC, RN) from the same convoy. Three officers and 33 ratings were rescued by the British rescue ship Bury, assisted by a whaler from HMS Geranium (K 16) (T/Lt C. Blackshaw, RNVR) which had swapped her position in the escort screen with HMS Vervain only 10 minutes before the attack.