Date of attack

1 May 1943

Fate

Sunk by U-515 (Werner Henke)

Position 07.58N, 14.14W - Grid ET 6128

Complement

140 (4 dead and 136 survivors).

Convoy

TS-37

Route

Calcutta - Durban - Takoradi (26 Apr) - Freetown - Trinidad - UK

Cargo

8440 tons of general cargo, including 2750 tons of pig iron, linseed, tea, jute, mica and groundnuts

Notes on loss  

At 05.40 hours on 1 May 1943, U-515 attacked the convoy TS-37 for a second time about 75 miles southwest of Freetown and fired three single torpedoes. The first hit the City of Singapore after 1 minute 8 seconds in the stern and the ship was observed to burn fiercely before she sank. The second torpedo hit the Mokambo after 1 minute 5 seconds and set her on fire. The third torpedo hit after 35 seconds the Clan Macpherson, which began to sink by the stern.

The Clan Macpherson (Master Edward Gough) foundered later in 08°04N/14°12W. Four crew members were lost. The master, 126 crew members, seven gunners and two naval signalmen were picked up by HMS Arran (T 06) (T/Lt D.S. Hutton, RNR) and landed at Freetown the same day.

Commodore G Purssey Phillips front centre

Photograph taken on his final voyage before retirement

1943 Torpedoed and sunk off Freetown with loss of 8 lives