Luftwaffe attack

[Knut Larsson]

I am trying to find any information on which Luftwaffe unit that engaged SS Port Denison on 26th Sep 1940 about 6 miles NE off Petershead at about 19.50hrs?

Cargo liner Port Denison, 8,043grt, (Port Line) had loaded a small amount of general cargo in London and proceeded to Methil in the coastal Convoy FN-283, which departed Southend on the 17th September 1940, arriving Methil two days later. The ship then joined up with the outward bound 38 ship Convoy OA-220. Once clear in to the Atlantic the Port Denison was supposed to disperse and set a course for Auckland & Lyttleton, New Zealand. On the 26th September the day the convoy sailed just six miles East off Peterhead, Aberdeenshire an aircraft approached the ship showing navigation lights, which, gave the impression that it was a friendly aircraft. It turned out to be German, dropping two aerial torpedo bombs. The first missed but the second hit the Port Denison abreast of the funnel blowing a large hole in the starboard side, which caused the engine room to flood. With the ship listing heavily the German aircraft returned and strafed the ship from stem to stern with machine gun fire before making off. The following day about seven miles from the Rattray Head lighthouse the ship finally sinks taking sixteen men with her.

Greetings from Norway
Knut

[odybvig]

Korps-Führ. Kette X.Fl.Korps Lf.5 claimed hits on two ships on the east coast of Scottland
One was hit with 2 x SC 250 and one with 2 x SC 250 and 1 x SC 500
One 6000 t and one 7000 t

Best
Olve Dybvig

Source: Luftwaffe Lagebericht 394

[Knut Larsson]

Hello Olve

Thank you very much for this ionteresting info. This was completely unknown to me.
Ha en fin sommer

Knut