Ships hit by U-boats


Upwey Grange

British Motor merchant



Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson Collection

NameUpwey Grange
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage9,130 tons
Completed1925 - Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Govan, Glasgow 
OwnerHoulder Brothers & Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack8 Aug 1940Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn)
Position54° 20'N, 15° 28'W - Grid AM 7124
Complement86 (36 dead and 50 survivors).
Convoy
RouteBuenos Aires - London 
Cargo5380 tons of frozen meat and 51 cases of tinned meat 
History Completed in November 1925 
Notes on event

At 13.14 hours on 8 Aug 1940 the unescorted Upwey Grange (Master William Ernest Williams) was hit on the port side by one torpedo from U-37 and sank by the stern about 184 miles west of Achill Head, Co. Mayo. The crew and passengers abandoned ship in the lifeboats but the boats were separated in the bad weather and the boat in charge of the master was never seen again. The master, 31 crew members, one gunner and three passengers were lost. 42 crew members and eight passengers (one DBS) were picked up after three days by the British trawler Naniwa (Master J. Nightingale) about 50 miles from Achill Head, transferred to HMS Vanquisher (D 54) (Cdr C.B. Alers-Hankey, DSC, RN) and landed at Liverpool.

 
On boardWe have details of 38 people who were on board


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