Uboat.net gives her AMC armament as eight 6-inch guns and two 3-inch AA guns, with a speed of about 17 knots. She commissioned on 20 December 1939 under Captain Hubert Ardill RN, retired

Her wartime service was short but active. After trials at Belfast, Portsmouth and Portland, she sailed from Plymouth for Dakar and Freetown in January 1940 to join the South Atlantic Station. She was then used chiefly on Freetown convoy escort work, including convoy SLF 18 / SL 18, SL 22, SL 26, and later SL 32.

Her final convoy was SL-43, sailing from Freetown to Belfast. On 27 August 1940, while about 120 miles south-west of Cape Clear / west of Ireland, she was attacked by U-46. The first torpedo hit aft of the bridge at 21.47; two further torpedoes hit at 22.12 and 22.51, striking the engine room and forward of the bridge. She stopped, caught fire, and sank the next day.

Casualties are usually given as 27 dead — 3 officers and 24 ratings — with about 250 survivors. Uboat.net lists her complement as 277, with 27 dead and 250 survivors. Naval Matters says survivors were taken off by HMS Harvester and HMS Primrose.

History

Completed in August 1936 as motor passenger ship for Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd, London. On 7 Sep, 1939, requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to the armed merchant cruiser HMS Dunvegan Castle until 20 December.

Notes on loss  

At 21.47 hours on 27 Aug, 1940, HMS Dunvegan Castle (Capt H. Ardill (retired), RN), escorting convoy SL-43, was hit aft of the bridge by one torpedo from U-46 about 120 miles southwest of Cape Clear. As the ship continued, the U-boat fired two further torpedoes at 22.12 and 22.51 hours, which hit the engine room and just before the bridge. The vessel stopped, caught fire and foundered the next day in 54°54N/11°W. Three officers and 24 ratings were lost. The commander and 249 crew members (twelve of them wounded) were picked up by HMS Harvester (H 19) (LtCdr M. Thornton, RN) and HMS Primrose (K 91) and landed in Scotland.

Crewlists

We have listing of 31 people who were on this vessel

Date of attack

27 Aug 1940

Fate

Sunk by U-46 (Engelbert Endrass)

Position

55.05N, 11.00W - Grid AM 5482

Complement

277 (27 dead and 250 survivors).

Convoy

SL-43

Route

Freetown (11 Aug) - Belfast

HMS Dunvegan Castle was the 1936 Union-Castle motor liner Dunvegan Castle, converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser early in the war.

She was requisitioned by the Admiralty on 7 September 1939 and converted at Belfast. .