RFA Darkdale
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Empire
oil was a steam tanker built by Blythswood Shipbuilding
Company in Scotland for the British Ministry of War
Transport in London. She was launched in July 1940 and was
transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and renamed RFA
Darkdale in November that same year. While she laid at
anchor outside Jamestown loaded with aviation fuel and
several variants of oil, she was spotted and torpedoed by
the German uboat U-68 under command of Korvettenkapitän
Karl-Friedrich Merten 22. October 1941. Four torpedoes hit
her and she broke in two. Part of her hull remained
partially visible on the surface for several days after
the attack, before she completely disappeared in the deep.
42 men of her crew lost their lives in the sinking. A
monument is raised in Jamestown honoring the casualties.
The wreck rest today outside Jamestown on a depth of 33 to
47 meter. Also see the wrecks of Papanui and Spangereid in James Bay.
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| Last updated: November 2019 |
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