Date of attack

12 Apr 1941

Nationality:     

British

Fate

Sunk by U-124 (Georg-Wilhelm Schulz)

Position

7° 50'N, 14° 00'W - Grid ET 6117

Complement

41 (0 dead and 41 survivors).

Route

Montevideo - Rio Grande do Sul - Santos - Bahia - Freetown - Hull

Cargo

7600 tons of grain and general cargo, including canned meat, cotton, rice and wet hides

Notes on event

At 05.09 hours on 12 April 1941 the unescorted St. Helena (Master Percy John Reavley) was hit under the bridge by one torpedo from U-124 and sank capsizing to port about 100 miles southwest of Freetown.

The U-boat surfaced and questioned the survivors before leaving the area.

The master, 35 crew members, two gunners and three passengers were picked up by HMS Wishart (D 67) (Cdr E.T. Cooper) and landed at Freetown.