Photo. City of Vancouver Archives CVA 447-2001
Built 1928
Tonnage: 5,920 / 9,250 tons
Route: Bombay - Durban - Freetown - Oban
Cargo: 8,539 tons of general cargo, including silver bullion, 2,000 tons of pig iron and rubber in bales
Sunk 05 MAR 42 by U–505 in position 06º 05’ N 14º 15’ W
0 Dead
56 Survivors
At 23.07 hours on 5 March 1942 the unescorted Benmohr (Master David Boag Anderson) was torpedoed and sunk by U-505 about 150 miles south-southwest of Freetown. In three lifeboats all crew came together giving the master the opportunity to make roll call. As their SOS had been acknowledged, they decided to settle down for the night. In the following day around 11.00 the figure of one cumbersome Short Sunderlund (Sqadron 95) was seen roaring its 4 engines toward them.
Under cheers of all men the plane landed one mile away. An hour later all fifty six survivors were fished out from the water and boarded the Sunderland where they enjoyed sandwiches and iced water. Two and half hours later the overcrowded plane landed heavily at the calm waters of Freetown harbour. Later the survivors were repatriated to England in the polish liner Batory.
By: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1397.html