I have just come across this small photograph amongst a bundle of photographs that once belonged to a Royal Naval Petty Officer. I have his name and a partial list of the ships that he served on between 1919 and 1943, taken from his annotated photographs. This photograph was clearly taken from another ship that was escorting Convoy WN 4. The name of the ship on the back of the photograph is wrong, I am guessing that this is because by the time he got the photographs back from Boots the Chemists, he had misremembered it.
3rd August 1944. S.S. Statira. Convoy WN 4. The cargo ship was bombed and set on fire in the Atlantic Ocean 38 nautical miles north of Stornoway and was abandoned. Her crew were rescued by HMS Bedouin and HMS Punjabi. She was taken in tow by S.T. Thames. She was declared a total loss and was scrapped.
She had been on the final part of her voyage from Masulipatam, India bound for London with a cargo of manganese or, oilcake and groundnuts. All 31 crew saved. The ship was taken in tow on fire to Stornoway and put in Rothesay Bay where the fire was brought under control. She was then taken in tow to Glasgow where her surviving cargo was discharged and was eventually broken up at Troon.
Thank you for that. I am wondering if H.M.S Sikh was present when the Statira was bombed as evidence would suggest that the photographer was serving aboard.
This may help. From: www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4008-21AUG01.htm German aircraft were over Scapa Flow and convoy WN.4 between midnight and 0100. British steamer STATIRA (4852grt) in convoy WN.4 was badly damaged by German bombing thirty eight miles north of Stornoway. Anti-submarine trawler ARAB (531grt) assisted the steamer. The entire crew was taken off by destroyers PUNJABI and BEDOUIN. The steamer was taken in tow on fire to Stornoway by British tug THAMES and escorted by destroyer PUNJABI, which was later relieved by destroyer SIKH. The steamer later left Stornoway and put in Rothesay Bay. Steamer STATIRA was later taken to Glasgow where her cargo was unloaded. The steamer was then broken up. Tim
Tim, many thanks for the update. Here is another photograph showing the bow of the Tribal Class destroyer, H.M.S. Mashona after her collision with H.M.S. Sikh. Simon, 6th January 1941. Sustained structural damage in collision with HMS MASHONA during departure from Scapa Flow for Flotilla duty with HMS SOMALI. Repair arranged at Henry Robb shipyard, Leith. Passage to Leith and taken in hand for repair followed by refit