SS Fiscus
Encyclopedia
The SS Fiscus was a steam merchant ship that sailed under the British
flag, and saw service in the Second World War, when she was sunk.
. She was homeported in that city. During the Second World War she was used to bring supplies to Britain, travelling in convoys to reduce the threat of Germany's u-boat
fleet. She made a number of transatlantic crossings during 1940, before joining the ill-fated convoy SC-7
in October 1940.
She sailed from Three Rivers
to Sydney, Nova Scotia
to join the convoy assembling there. She sailed in company with the other ships of the convoy on 5 October under the command of her master, Ebenezer Williams, and carrying a cargo of steel, lumber and a deck cargo of crated aircraft. On arrival on British waters she was to proceed to the Clyde
. The convoy was overwhelmed by u-boats utilising wolf pack tactics during the crossing, and many of the merchants were torpedo
ed and sunk. The Fiscus was sighted by under the command of Otto Kretschmer
and at 23.55 hours on 18 October he torpedoed the Fiscus east of Rockall
. She sank almost immediately. Her master, 36 crew members and one gunner were lost, leaving a sole survivor. He was spotted standing on some debris by a lifeboat from the which had been sunk earlier by U-99. They took him aboard and were all rescued on 23 October by .
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...
flag, and saw service in the Second World War, when she was sunk.
Career and sinking
The Fiscus was built in 1928 by the Northumberland Shipbuilding Co (1927) Ltd, Howden on Tyne and entered service with W.H. Seager & Co Ltd, CardiffCardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. She was homeported in that city. During the Second World War she was used to bring supplies to Britain, travelling in convoys to reduce the threat 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. She made a number of transatlantic crossings during 1940, before joining the ill-fated convoy SC-7
Convoy SC-7
SC-7 was the code name for a large Allied World War II convoy of 35 merchant ships and six escorts which sailed eastbound from Sydney, Nova Scotia for Liverpool and other United Kingdom ports on 5 October 1940. While crossing the Atlantic, the convoy was intercepted by one of the German Navy's...
in October 1940.
She sailed from Three Rivers
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
to Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
to join the convoy assembling there. She sailed in company with the other ships of the convoy on 5 October under the command of her master, Ebenezer Williams, and carrying a cargo of steel, lumber and a deck cargo of crated aircraft. On arrival on British waters she was to proceed to the Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
. The convoy was overwhelmed by u-boats utilising wolf pack tactics during the crossing, and many of the merchants were 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. The Fiscus was sighted by under the command of Otto Kretschmer
Otto Kretschmer
Flotilla Admiral Otto Kretschmer was a German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak...
and at 23.55 hours on 18 October he torpedoed the Fiscus east of Rockall
Rockall
Rockall is an extremely small, uninhabited, remote rocky islet in the North Atlantic Ocean. It gives its name to one of the sea areas named in the shipping forecast provided by the British Meteorological Office....
. She sank almost immediately. Her master, 36 crew members and one gunner were lost, leaving a sole survivor. He was spotted standing on some debris by a lifeboat from the which had been sunk earlier by U-99. They took him aboard and were all rescued on 23 October by .