Kellwyn
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, P11190
| Name | Kellwyn | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 1,459 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - John Lewis & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen | ||
| Owner | Dillwyn SS Co Ltd (Stockwood, Rees & Co Ltd), Swansea | ||
| Homeport | Swansea | ||
| Date of attack | 27 Jul 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-79 (Wolfgang Kaufmann) | ||
| Position | 43° 00'N, 17° 00'W - Grid BE 8345 | ||
| Complement | 23 (14 dead and 9 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | OG-69 | ||
| Route | Tyne - Oban - Lisbon | ||
| Cargo | 1100 tons of coke | ||
| History | Completed in December 1920 as Marie Llewellyn for Llewellyn Shipping Co (W.B. Thomas & Co), Cardiff. In December 1925 sold to Federated Coal & Shipping Co, Cardiff and in July 1928 to Cardigan SS Co Ltd (Jenkins Bros), Cardiff. 1937 renamed Kellwyn for Dillwyn SS Co Ltd, Swansea. | ||
| Notes on event | Between 00.21 and 00.24 hours on 27 July 1941, U-79 fired a spread of four torpedoes and the stern torpedo at convoy OG-69 about 350 miles west-northwest of Cape Finisterre and had to dive because a destroyer was closing in, so Kaufmann only saw a column of fire and heard several detonations. He reported three ships sunk and two others probably damaged. In fact, only the Kellwyn (Master Alexander McLean) was hit and sunk, the later explosions must have been depth charges from the escorts. The master, ten crew members and three gunners were lost. Nine crew members were picked up by the British armed trawler HMS St. Nectan (LtCdr H.B. Phillips, RNR) and landed at Gibraltar on 1 August. | ||
| On board | We have details of 14 people who were on board. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.