SS Corduff

History
NameCorduff
OwnerWilliam Cory & Son Ltd, London
BuilderSwan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend
Yard number1221
Launched6 November 1923
CompletedDecember 1923
FateSunk on 7 March 1941
General characteristics
Tonnage
Length284.5 ft (86.7 m)
Beam42 ft (13 m)
Depth19.6 ft (6.0 m)
Installed power247 nhp
PropulsionTriple expansion steam engine

SS Corduff, a laden 2,345 GRT collier in East Coast convoy FS 32, was damaged, though without casualties, in an attack by Stuka divebomber aircraft in the Barrow Deep on 11 November 1940.[1]

On the night of 7/8 March 1941 she was torpedoed and sunk by German E-boat S28 while heading north with a convoy off Cromer. Seven of her crew were lost, and, after drifting for some hours and being hailed by the E-boat captain, the other 14 (including Captain Rees) were found by the Cromer lifeboat H F Bailey. It was the night of the most successful E-boat raid on East Coast merchant shipping, with six other ships sunk. Corduff belonged to William Cory & Son Ltd.

References

  1. ^ One website wrongly attributes the attack to a Heinkel. (Sources--Convoy Reports ADM 199/39, Nore Cmd War Diaries ADM 199/375 at National Archives; Peter C Smith "Divebomber"' J Foreman "The Battle of Britain--The Forgotten Months==November & December 1940).
  • The National Archives (United Kingdom)
    • E-Boat Actions ADM 199/670
    • Nore Cmd WD ADM 199/407
  • Lloyd's Lists
  • HMSO Shipping Losses list, 1947
  • J P Foynes, Battle of the East Coast 1939–1945
  • V Kuhn, Schnellboote in Einsatz 1939–1945


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