Ripley

Official Number

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

161599

William Doxford

Sunderland

William Doxford

Sunderland

Diesel 3 Cyl

Doxford

388 NHP

Screws

The Loss of SS Ripley

Date of attack

12 Dec 1942

Fate

Sunk by U-161 (Albrecht Achilles)

Position

00.35S, 32.17W - Grid FC 5247

Complement

41 (0 dead and 41 survivors).

Convoy

Route

Forcados - Duala - Takoradi (1 Dec) - Trinidad - UK

Cargo

9000 tons of palm oil, mahogany and rubber

History

Completed in December 1936 for Thomasson Shipping Co Ltd (Stephens, Sutton Ltd), Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

1940 sold to South American Saint Line, Cardiff.

Torpedoed and Sunk in The Atlantic - 1942

Ripley Left Forcados For UK via Duala, Takoradi & Trinidad Lost 12 December 1942		Fate
Master	S B Davis	Survived
Chief Officer	J Donovan	Survived
Second Officer	F B Jones	Survived
Third Officer	D McDiamed	Survived
First Radio Officer	A Taylor	Survived
Second Radio Officer	B Prescott	Survived
Chief Engineer	E McKay	Survived
Second Engineer	C F Collins	Survived
Third Engineer	M G Mower	Survived
Fourth Engineer	M F Hughes	Survived
Fifth Engineer	G L Hargreaves	Survived
Sixth Engineer	A Barton	Survived
Chief Steward	H Townsend	Survived
Able Seaman	K Ebanks	Survived

Notes on event

At 14.24 hours on 12 Dec, 1942, the unescorted Ripley (Master Sydney Beeston Davis) was hit by two torpedoes from U-161 southwest of St. Paul Rocks and sank capsizing after a coup de grâce hit amidships at 14.41 hours.

The Germans questioned the survivors before leaving the area.

The master, 33 crew members and seven gunners were rescued:

The master and 28 survivors landed at Cape Branco, Brazil and the chief officer and eleven survivors were picked up by the British steam merchant Royal Star and landed at Buenos Aires on 23 December.

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