Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Miniver

British Steam merchant



Empire Miniver under her former name West Cobalt. Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameEmpire Miniver
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage6,055 tons
Completed1918 - Columbia River Shipbuilding Corp, Portland OR 
OwnerAndrew Weir & Co, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack18 Oct 1940Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer)
Position56° 40'N, 10° 45'W - Grid AM 2924
Complement38 (3 dead and 35 survivors).
ConvoySC-7
RouteBaltimore - Sydney (5 Oct) - Newport, Mon 
Cargo4500 tons of pig iron and 6200 tons of steel 
History Built as American West Cobalt for US Shipping Board, Portland OR. 1918/19 part of the US Navy in the Naval Overseas Transportation Service. 1933 sold to Lykes Bros SS Co Inc, New Orleans and 1940 given to Britain and renamed Empire Miniver by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 
Notes on event

At 22.06 hours on 18 Oct 1940 the Empire Miniver (Master Robert Smith) in convoy SC-7 was torpedoed and sunk by U-99 about 100 miles west by south of Barra Head. Three crew members were lost. The master and 34 crew members were picked up by HMS Bluebell (K 80) (LtCdr Robert E. Sherwood) and landed at Greenock on 20 October.

 
On boardWe have details of 4 people who were on board


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