At 23.15 hours on 30 July 1943 the unescorted William Ellery (Master David Slater McDonald) was hit on the port side in the #4 hold by one torpedo from U-197 while steaming at 11.5 knots about 300 miles east-southeast of Durban. Lookouts spotted a second torpedo passing under the port quarter. The explosion opened a 450 square-foot hole, but a damage control party led by the chief engineer shored up the bulkhead between #4 and #5 holds while the ship was escaping at 9 knots, arriving on 1 August under her own power in Durban, where she was dry docked for repairs on 30 August and returned to service. All eight officers, 31 crewmen and 27 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) on board survived.