SS Fanad Head
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom
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| Name: | Fanad Head |
| Namesake: | Fanad, Donegal |
| Owner: | Ulster Steam Ship Co Ltd. |
| Operator: | G. Heyn & Sons Ltd, Belfast |
| Port of registry: | Belfast |
| Builder: | Workman, Clark and Company, Belfast |
| Completed: | 1917 |
| Out of service: | 14 September 1939 |
| Identification: |
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| Fate: | Torpedoed and sunk on 14 September 1939 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | cargo steamship |
| Tonnage: | |
| Length: | 390.4 feet (119.0 m)p/p |
| Beam: | 51.8 feet (15.8 m) |
| Draught: | 32 feet 6 inches (9.91 m) |
| Depth: | 29.8 feet (9.1 m) |
| Installed power: | 379 NHP |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 11 knots (20 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 8 passengers |
| Crew: | 33 |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
wireless direction finding |
The SS Fanad Head was a UK cargo steamship. She was built during the First World War and torpedoed and sunk 10 days after the UK entered the Second World War.
Workman, Clark and Company of Belfast built Fanad Head for the Ulster Steam Ship Co Ltd (G. Heyn & Sons Ltd). She was completed in 1917 and registered in Belfast. She was named after Fanad, a headland in County Donegal.
When the UK entered the Second World War on 3 September 1939 Fanad Head was in Canada. She sailed from Montreal carrying general cargo and grain to the UK, and on 14 September she was steaming unescorted off the coast of Ireland when at 1323 hours she was sighted by the German submarine U-30. The U-boat surfaced and gave chase, and Fanad Head radioed for assistance. Some 280 nautical miles (520 km) west-northwest of Malin Head U-30 fired a shot across the cargo ship's bow from her 88mm gun, which persuaded Fanad Head's Master, George Pinkerton, to stop. Pinkerton, his 33 crew and eight passengers abandoned ship in two lifeboats. U-30 took them in tow and put a prize crew aboard her to gather provisions and then scuttle the ship.
The distress call reached the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, then on an anti-submarine patrol 200 miles (320 km) north-east of Fanad Head's position. Ark Royal quickly launched three Blackburn Skuas of 803 Naval Air Squadron, and detached the Tribal-class destroyers HMS Bedouin, HMS Punjabi and HMS Tartar to go to Fanad Head's assistance. 30 minutes after launching the first wave of aircraft, Ark Royal herself was attacked by U-39. She succeeded in avoiding the torpedoes and her escorts subsequently sank U-39. After two hours, Ark Royal launched six Swordfish aircraft and detached the F class destroyers HMS Fame and HMS Forester as reinforcements.
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