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Coordinates: 40°41′N 11°39′W / 40.683°N 11.650°W / 40.683; -11.650
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin |display title=ital}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin |display title=ital}}
{{Infobox ship image
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| Ship name= ''Empire Oak''
| Ship name= ''Empire Oak''
| Ship namesake=
| Ship namesake=
| Ship owner=[[Ministry of War Transport]]<ref name="uboatnet">{{cite web |url= http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/1064.html |title=Empire Oak (British Steam tug) |first=Guðmundur |last=Helgason |work=uboat.net |year=2012 |accessdate=15 August 2012}}</ref>
| Ship owner=[[Ministry of War Transport]]<ref name="uboatnet">{{cite web |url= http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/1064.html |title=Empire Oak (British Steam tug) |first=Guðmundur |last=Helgason |work=uboat.net |year=2012 |access-date=15 August 2012}}</ref>
| Ship operator=United Towing Ltd., [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]]<ref name="uboatnet"/>
| Ship operator=United Towing Ltd., [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]]<ref name="uboatnet"/>
| Ship registry=
| Ship registry=
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| Ship class=
| Ship class=
| Ship type= [[Tugboat|Ocean-going tug]]
| Ship type= [[Tugboat|Ocean-going tug]]
| Ship tonnage={{GRT|484}}<ref name="wrecksite">{{cite web |url= http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?30890 |title=Empire Oak, Tug 1941-1941 |work=wrecksite.eu |year=2012 |accessdate=15 August 2012}}</ref>
| Ship tonnage={{GRT|484}}<ref name="wrecksite">{{cite web |url= http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?30890 |title=Empire Oak, Tug 1941-1941 |work=wrecksite.eu |year=2012 |access-date=15 August 2012}}</ref>
| Ship displacement=
| Ship displacement=
| Ship length= {{Convert|43.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="wrecksite"/>
| Ship length= {{Convert|43.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="wrecksite"/>
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'''''Empire Oak''''' was a {{GRT|484}} ocean-going tug which was built by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd. of [[Goole]]. The ship was launched on 15 March 1941 and completed in July 1941. She was torpedoed on 22 August 1941 and sunk by {{GS|U-564||2}} at {{Coord|40|41|N|11|39|W|display=inline, title}} while a member of [[Convoy OG 71]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Nightmare Convoy |last1=Lund |first1=Paul |last2=Ludlam |first2=Harry |year=1987 |publisher=W. Foulsham & Co. Ltd. |location=London |isbn=0-572-01452-X |page= |pages= |url= |accessdate=}}</ref>
'''''Empire Oak''''' was a {{GRT|484}} ocean-going tug which was built by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd. of [[Goole]]. The ship was launched on 15 March 1941 and completed in July 1941. She was torpedoed on 22 August 1941 and sunk by {{GS|U-564||2}} at {{Coord|40|41|N|11|39|W|display=inline, title}} while a member of [[Convoy OG 71]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Nightmare Convoy |last1=Lund |first1=Paul |last2=Ludlam |first2=Harry |year=1987 |publisher=W. Foulsham & Co. Ltd. |location=London |isbn=0-572-01452-X }}</ref>


She was armed with a [[12-pounder gun|12-pounder]] and two Hotchkiss machine guns. She also carried two PAC (parachute and cable) rockets.
She was armed with a [[12-pounder gun|12-pounder]] and two Hotchkiss machine guns. She also carried two PAC (parachute and cable) rockets.


==Ship History==
==Ship history==
⚫
She sailed from [[Oban]] on 15 August 1941, [[Sea captain|captained]] by F.E. Christian, and joined [[Convoy OG 71]] (Outward Gibraltar). On 19 August 1941, she joined the search for survivors from the merchantman ''Alva'' which had been sunk by {{GS|U-559||2}}, and spent approximately an hour searching and picked up several survivors before putting on speed to catch up with the convoy. On returning to the convoy Captain Christian spotted [[starshell]]s going up, on arrival he spotted a number of red lights in the water which he took to be the red lights attached to merchantmen's lifejackets (at this time Royal Navy lifejackets did not). These were survivors from the merchantman ''Aguila'', and after a long search ''Empire Oak'' picked up six crew members.
She sailed from [[Oban]] on 15 August 1941, captained by F.E. Christian, and joined [[Convoy OG 71]] (Outward Gibraltar).
===19 August 1941===
⚫
On Tuesday, 19 August 1941, she joined the search for survivors from the merchantman ''Alva'' which had been sunk by {{GS|U-559||2}}, and spent approximately an hour searching and picked up several survivors before putting on speed to catch up with the convoy. On returning to the convoy Captain F.E. Christian spotted starshells going up, on arrival he spotted a number of red lights in the water which he took to be the red lights attached to merchantmen's lifejackets (at this time Royal Navy lifejackets didn't). These were survivors from the merchantman ''Aguila'', and after a long search ''Empire Oak'' picked up six crew members.
===22 August 1941===
⚫
On Friday, 22 August 1941, during the night Captain Christian was standing on the starboard wing of the bridge when ''Empire Oak'' was struck by a torpedo fired from {{GS|U-564||2}} on the starboard side of the engine room. She sank within seconds with the captain been washed off the bridge. The destroyer {{HMS|Boreas|H77|6}} then launched a depth charge attack on ''U-564'', the shock waves of which caused distress and injuries to the survivors in the water. Captain Christian was in the water for over two hours with his chief officer plus the chief officer from ''Aguila'' before the corvette {{HMS|Campanula}} found them, unfortunately during the rescue the chief officer from the ''Aguila'' became separated and was lost.


⚫
On 22 August 1941, during the night Captain Christian was standing on the starboard wing of the bridge when ''Empire Oak'' was struck by a torpedo fired from {{GS|U-564||2}} on the starboard side of the engine room. She sank within seconds with the captain been washed off the bridge. The [[destroyer]] {{HMS|Boreas|H77|6}} then launched a [[depth charge]] attack on ''U-564'', the shock waves of which caused distress and injuries to the survivors in the water. Captain Christian was in the water for over two hours with his chief officer plus the chief officer from ''Aguila'' before the [[corvette]] {{HMS|Campanula|K18|6}} found them, unfortunately during the rescue the chief officer from the ''Aguila'' became separated and was lost. ''Empire Oak'' lost 14 out of her 20 crew, she was also carrying 6 survivors from ''Aguila'' and 11 from ''Alva'', nine of these were lost including all from ''Aguila''.
''Empire Oak'' lost 14 out of her 20 crew, she was also carrying 6 survivors from ''Aguila'' and 11 from ''Alva'', nine of these were lost including all from ''Aguila''.


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{Empire O ships}}
{{Empire ships}}


[[Category:Empire ships]]
[[Category:Empire ships]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]]

Latest revision as of 12:13, 20 March 2024

History
United Kingdom
NameEmpire Oak
OwnerMinistry of War Transport[1]
OperatorUnited Towing Ltd., Hull[1]
BuilderGoole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Goole[1]
Launched15 March 1941
CompletedJuly 1941
FateSunk by torpedo, 22 August 1941
General characteristics
TypeOcean-going tug
Tonnage484 GRT[2]
Length43.6 m (143 ft 1 in)[2]
Beam9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)[2]
Depth4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)[2]
PropulsionTriple expansion engine, 200 hp (149 kW)[2]
Armament
Service record
Commanders: Frederick E. Christian
Operations: Convoy OG 17

Empire Oak was a 484 GRT ocean-going tug which was built by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd. of Goole. The ship was launched on 15 March 1941 and completed in July 1941. She was torpedoed on 22 August 1941 and sunk by U-564 at 40°41′N 11°39′W / 40.683°N 11.650°W / 40.683; -11.650 while a member of Convoy OG 71.[3]

She was armed with a 12-pounder and two Hotchkiss machine guns. She also carried two PAC (parachute and cable) rockets.

Ship history

[edit]

She sailed from Oban on 15 August 1941, captained by F.E. Christian, and joined Convoy OG 71 (Outward Gibraltar). On 19 August 1941, she joined the search for survivors from the merchantman Alva which had been sunk by U-559, and spent approximately an hour searching and picked up several survivors before putting on speed to catch up with the convoy. On returning to the convoy Captain Christian spotted starshells going up, on arrival he spotted a number of red lights in the water which he took to be the red lights attached to merchantmen's lifejackets (at this time Royal Navy lifejackets did not). These were survivors from the merchantman Aguila, and after a long search Empire Oak picked up six crew members.

On 22 August 1941, during the night Captain Christian was standing on the starboard wing of the bridge when Empire Oak was struck by a torpedo fired from U-564 on the starboard side of the engine room. She sank within seconds with the captain been washed off the bridge. The destroyer HMS Boreas then launched a depth charge attack on U-564, the shock waves of which caused distress and injuries to the survivors in the water. Captain Christian was in the water for over two hours with his chief officer plus the chief officer from Aguila before the corvette HMS Campanula found them, unfortunately during the rescue the chief officer from the Aguila became separated and was lost. Empire Oak lost 14 out of her 20 crew, she was also carrying 6 survivors from Aguila and 11 from Alva, nine of these were lost including all from Aguila.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur (2012). "Empire Oak (British Steam tug)". uboat.net. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Empire Oak, Tug 1941-1941". wrecksite.eu. 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  3. ^ Lund, Paul; Ludlam, Harry (1987). Nightmare Convoy. London: W. Foulsham & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0-572-01452-X.
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