British Corporal

Built as British Corporal for British Tanker Company Ltd, London. My father Harold Wilson (Cabin Boy ) was aboard her at the time and signed off in Weymouth 2 days later to volunteer for the Rescue Tugs.
John Wilson.

On 4 Jul, 1940 the British Corporal was torpedoed by the German Schnellboot S-26 in the English Channel and bombed by Ju87 dive-bomber of StG 2 the same day. On 5 July, she was attacked again by StG 2 and badly damaged, but towed to port and repaired by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 1942 the tanker returned to service as Empire Corporal

At 11.54 and 11.55 hours on 14 Aug, 1942, U-598 fired two spreads of two torpedoes at the convoy TAW-12J northwest of Barlovento Point, Cuba and reported misses. At 11.57 hours, the stern torpedo was fired and a detonation was heard. No other U-boat attacked at this time, so the first spread must have hit the Michael Jebsen, which sank immediately. One torpedo of the second spread damaged the Standella, after missing the ship of the convoy commodore, the Empire Corporal, which was then sunk by the stern torpedo.

The master, 39 crew members and nine gunners from the Empire Corporal (Master George Eric Hodgson) were picked up by the American MTB USS PT-498, transferred to the USS Fletcher (DD 445) (Cdr W.M. Cole) and landed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Five crew members and one gunner were lost.

Damage to wheelhouse by a bomb from a Ju87

Damage to stern from torpedo from S-26.

This page compiled and presented by John Wilson - My grateful thanks.

Additional Notes: Hubert Lee (RN, approx 1916-1946, apart from a few months retirement in 1939!)

Sheet 1
At midnight July 4th attacked. [Attack] believed to have been carried out by E. Boats but none were seen. Attacked again approx 1225 July 5th & again hit.
During the whole day & night the armament was manned & lookout placed.
Sheet 2
At 1310 on July 4th 1940 the convoy was attacked by about 12 planes. SS British Corporal was attacked by dive bombers & 10 rounds were fired & a hit is believed to have been registered. At about 1500 convoy was attacked by about 30 planes [but] none came near enough to to SS British Corporal to open fire.

These notes supplied by Adrian Lee.

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