SS Fanad Head
Encyclopedia
The SS Fanad Head was a British
cargo
steamer
. She was torpedo
ed and sunk in the Second World War
.
for G. Heyn & Sons Ltd. She was completed in 1917 and homeported in Belfast. She became an early casualty of Germany's U-boat
fleet whilst bound for Belfast from Montreal
, carrying general cargo and grain, commanded by her master, George Pinkerton.
. After sending a distress call, the master, 33 crew members and eight passengers abandoned ship in two lifeboats. U-30 took them in tow and landed a prize crew aboard her to gather provisions and then scuttle the ship.
The distress call had been received by the aircraft carrier , then on an anti-submarine patrol 200 miles north-east of the Fanad Head. Ark Royal quickly launched three Blackburn Skua
s of her 803 Naval Air Squadron
, and detached , and to go to the Fanad Head’s assistance. 30 minutes after launching the first wave of aircraft, Ark Royal herself was attacked by , but was able to avoid the torpedoes and U-39 was subsequently sunk by Ark Royal’s escorts. After two hours, Ark Royal launched six Swordfish
aircraft and detached and to the scene.
Ten minutes after the first attack, the second Skua arrived at the scene. They sighted what they believed was a U-boat and dropped their bombs, but this was probably the wreck of the first Skua. When U-30 then surfaced nearby they had no bombs left, but repeatedly strafed it with their machine guns and forced it to dive again. After the aircraft, low on fuel, left to return to Ark Royal, the U-boat re-surfaced and tried to come alongside the Fanad Head to take off the prize crew. The third Skua then arrived and sighting the U-30, dropped its bombs, but again dropped them from an insufficient height. The damage from the explosion caused the Skua to fall into the sea. The pilot managed to get free, and swim to the Fanad Head, where he too was taken aboard by the prize crew.
, Scotland
. The U-30 was attacked until 22.00 hours, suffering considerable damage, before managing to escape on the surface one hour later.
U-30 then made for Reykjavík
, arriving there on 19 September. Here she landed one of her seriously injured crewmen and took aboard a replacement from an interned German freighter. U-30 then returned to Germany with the two captured British pilots, arriving at Wilhelmshaven
on 27 September. The pilots spent the rest of the war in a prisoner of war
camp in Brunswick
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cargo
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
steamer
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
. She was torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed and sunk in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early history
The Fanad Head was built by Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
for G. Heyn & Sons Ltd. She was completed in 1917 and homeported in Belfast. She became an early casualty of Germany's U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
fleet whilst bound for Belfast from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, carrying general cargo and grain, commanded by her master, George Pinkerton.
Initial attacks and response
Fanad Head was travelling unescorted off the coast of Ireland, when she was spotted at 13.23 hours on 14 September 1939 by . The U-boat surfaced and gave chase, eventually stopping her with a shot across her bow some 280 miles west-northwest of Malin HeadMalin Head
Malin Head , on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal, is usually given as the most northerly headland of the mainland of Ireland . In fact, the most northerly point is actually a headland named Banba's Crown on the Inishowen Peninsula about 2 km to the northeast...
. After sending a distress call, the master, 33 crew members and eight passengers abandoned ship in two lifeboats. U-30 took them in tow and landed a prize crew aboard her to gather provisions and then scuttle the ship.
The distress call had been received by the aircraft carrier , then on an anti-submarine patrol 200 miles north-east of the Fanad Head. Ark Royal quickly launched three Blackburn Skua
Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm which combined the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. It was designed in the mid-1930s, and saw service in the early part of the Second World War...
s of her 803 Naval Air Squadron
803 Naval Air Squadron
803 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron.-Interwar:803 NAS was formed on 3 April 1933 by promoting No 409 Flight to the status of a squadron, with nine Ospreys...
, and detached , and to go to the Fanad Head’s assistance. 30 minutes after launching the first wave of aircraft, Ark Royal herself was attacked by , but was able to avoid the torpedoes and U-39 was subsequently sunk by Ark Royal’s escorts. After two hours, Ark Royal launched six Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
aircraft and detached and to the scene.
Bombing attempts
When the first Skua reached the Fanad Head, the pilots were surprised to find the U-boat surfaced alongside her and dropped the bombs immediately at very low level. The bombs detonated on contact with the water surface causing shrapnel to hit the aircraft, damaging it enough to force the pilot to ditch the burning Skua in the sea. Both crewmen survived the crash, but were badly burnt and began swimming towards the Fanad Head. Only the pilot managed to reach her and was pulled unconscious from the water. The U-30 had crash-dived by the stern and avoided damage, but one of their crew had not had time to get below deck before she had submerged. He too swam to the Fanad Head. Meanwhile, the bombs dropped by the Skua had detonated so close to the ship that three men from the prize crew had been wounded by shrapnel.Ten minutes after the first attack, the second Skua arrived at the scene. They sighted what they believed was a U-boat and dropped their bombs, but this was probably the wreck of the first Skua. When U-30 then surfaced nearby they had no bombs left, but repeatedly strafed it with their machine guns and forced it to dive again. After the aircraft, low on fuel, left to return to Ark Royal, the U-boat re-surfaced and tried to come alongside the Fanad Head to take off the prize crew. The third Skua then arrived and sighting the U-30, dropped its bombs, but again dropped them from an insufficient height. The damage from the explosion caused the Skua to fall into the sea. The pilot managed to get free, and swim to the Fanad Head, where he too was taken aboard by the prize crew.
Torpedoing
U-30 continued to attempt to come alongside, but damaged her bow in her third attempt. She eventually managed to take aboard the five members of the prize crew. The British pilots initially remained aboard, but on being informed that U-30 intended to torpedo the Fanad Head, they jumped overboard and were taken prisoner. Shortly after this, the first Swordfish arrived and carried out a strafing run which again forced the U-boat to dive. At 18.20 hours, U-30 launched a stern torpedo at the Fanad Head from a range of 500 metres, causing her to sink. The U-30 was then repeatedly attacked with bombs from the Swordfishes and depth charges from the two destroyers which had arrived on the scene. HMS Tartar picked up the crew of the Fanad Head and took them to MallaigMallaig
Mallaig ; is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line , completed in 1901, and the town is linked to Fort William by the A830 road – the "Road to the Isles".The village of Mallaig...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The U-30 was attacked until 22.00 hours, suffering considerable damage, before managing to escape on the surface one hour later.
U-30 then made for Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, arriving there on 19 September. Here she landed one of her seriously injured crewmen and took aboard a replacement from an interned German freighter. U-30 then returned to Germany with the two captured British pilots, arriving at Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
on 27 September. The pilots spent the rest of the war in a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp in Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
.