Date of attack

2 Dec 1940

Fate

Sunk by U-94 (Herbert Kuppisch)

Position

55° 36'N, 16° 22'W - Grid AM 4416

Complement

74 (0 dead and 74 survivors).

Convoy

HX-90

Route

Sydney NSW - Townsville, Queensland - Bermuda - Liverpool

Cargo

3270 tons of sugar, 2000 tons of lead, 1900 tons of refrigerated foodstuffs and 460 tons of general cargo

History

Completed in June 1928 as Clan Macdonald for The Clan Line Steamers Ltd, London. 1929 renamed Stirlingshire for Turnbull, Martin & Co Ltd, London.

Notes on event

At 18.23 hours on 2 Dec 1940 the Stirlingshire (Master Charles Edward O’Byrne) in convoy HX-90 was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-94 and sank with a starboard list about 280 miles west by north of Bloody Foreland. The master, 72 crew members and one gunner were picked up by the British steam merchant Empire Puma from the same convoy and landed at Liverpool.

A water colour of MV Stirlingshire entering Sydney Heads

Vessel

Built

Years in Service

Tonnage

Stirlingshire (1)

1928

ex- Clan MacDonald (3)

1929 transferred from Clan Line renamed Stirlingshire,

1940 torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic.

6022

Pictured here on the River Mersey in Scottish Shire Line livery

At some time in the 1930s she was repainted in Clan Line livery and her funnel was raised

Torpedoed and Sunk in North Atlantic 1940

Stirlingshire Art Gallery