At 21.19 hours on the 17th February 1941 the unescorted Siamese Prince (Master Edgar Litchfield) was hit forward on port side by one G7a torpedo from U Boat U-69, commanded by Korvettenkapitän Jost Metzler, while steaming in very rough seas with a moderate swell at 13 knots about 150 miles north-northwest of Rockall. The U-boat had chased the ship for more than five hours and she even remained afloat after being hit on port side aft by another torpedo at 21.41 hours. The ship sank by the bow five minutes after being hit on starboard side amidships by a third torpedo at 22.12 hours. The Germans had observed how the crew abandoned ship in lifeboats, but no survivors were ever found. The master, 56 crew members, two gunners and nine passengers were lost.

Acknowledgments: Barney Rice

David Robson is remembered in Southwick on S130.15 in Sunderland S140.159 and on our List of Ships’ crews

M.V. Siamese Prince
Scottish Built Ships
The CWGC entry for Junior Engineer Officer Robson