Vessel

Built

Years in Service

Tonnage

HMS Durham Castle

1936

Ex Durham Castle

September 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty to be an accomodation and stores ship

1940 mined and sunk off Cromarty

8217

On 26 January 1940 HMS Durham Castle, on passage from Rosyth to Scapa Flow, struck a mine laid on 21 January by U-57 and sank 3 miles east of Cromarty Firth, during a gale and in severe icy conditions.

The ship was in tow by the tug HMS Watermeyer for use as a blockship at Scapa Flow.

Date of attack

26 Jan 1940

Fate

Sunk by U-57 (Claus Korth)

Position Grid AN 1759

Complement

? men (? dead and ? survivors).

Route

to Scapa Flow

History

Completed in February 1904 as steam passenger ship Durham Castle for Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd, London. 1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty as stores and accommodation ship HMS Durham Castle.

Notes on loss

On 26 Jan, 1940, HMS Durham Castle struck a mine laid on 21 January by U-57 and sank 11 miles northeast of Cromarty, Scotland. The ship was in tow for Scapa Flow for use as an accommodation ship.

Armaments

None