SS Thistlegarth

SS Thistlegarth was a British armed merchant Cargo ship that the German Submarine U-103 torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) west-northwest of Rockall while she was travelling in Convoy OB 228 from Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom to Father Point, New Brunswick, Canada in ballast.[1]

History
Name: Thistlegarth
Owner: Allan, Black & Co. - Albyn Line
Port of registry: Sunderland, United Kingdom
Builder: James Laing & Sons Ltd.
Yard number: 706
Launched: 9 July 1929
Completed: September 1929
Acquired: September 1929
Maiden voyage: September 1929
In service: September 1929
Out of service: 15 October 1940
Identification:
  • IMO/Off. no.: 160314
  • GTCQ
Fate: Torpedoed and sunk
General characteristics
Type: Cargo ship
Tonnage: 4,747 GRT
Length: 128.32 metres (421 ft 0 in)
Beam: 17.07 metres (56 ft 0 in)
Depth: 7.32 metres (24 ft 0 in)
Installed power: 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine, 2 single boilers, 1 auxiliary boiler, 8 corrugated furnaces
Propulsion: Screw propeller
Speed: 10 knots
Capacity: 39
Crew: 38
Notes: captain Donald Plummer

Construction

Thistlegarth was built at the James Laing & Sons Ltd. shipyard in Sunderland, United Kingdom, she was launched in July and completed in September of 1929. The ship was 128.32 metres (421 ft 0 in) long, had a beam of 17.07 metres (56 ft 0 in) and had a depth of 7.32 metres (24 ft 0 in). She was assessed at 4,747 GRT and had 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine along with 2 single boilers, 1 auxiliary boiler and 8 corrugated furnaces driving a single screw propeller. The ship could generate 430 n.h.p. and could reach a speed of 10 knots.[2]

Sinking

Thistlegarth was travelling from Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom to Father Point, New Brunswick, Canada in ballast as part of Convoy OB 228 when on 15 October 1940 at 19.33pm, the unescorted ship was hit amidships on her port side by a G7e torpedo from the German Submarine U-103 in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) west-northwest of Rockall. The ship took on a noticeable list and the crew abandoned ship, but reboarded her later when they noticed that Thistlegarth didn't appear to be sinking. The ship's lingering buoyancy also caught the attention of U-103, who decided to surface and fired her deck gun at the damaged ship. Not realising the Thistlegarth was armed with guns of her own, U-103 had to crash dive after firing only three shots due to their target returning fire at them.[3]

Victory remained short, as Thistlegarth was hit by a coup de grâce under the aft mast on her starboard side at 21.42pm, which broke her in two and sank her in two minutes. The crew had all safely evacuated into two lifeboats and awaited rescue. The first lifeboat with nine crew members onboard were rescued by HMS Heartsease on 18 October, but the second lifeboat containing 28 crew members, the captain and a gunner was never seen again and are presumed lost at sea.[1]

Wreck

The wreck of Thistlegarth lies at (58°43′N 15°00′W).[4]

References
  1. "Thistlegarth". uboat.net. 1995. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  2. "Albyn Line, Sunderland 1901-1966". theshipslist.com. 19 November 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  3. "SS Thistlegarth [+1940]". wrecksite.eu. 15 October 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  4. "British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day". naval-history.net. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
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