Photo. www.photoship.co.uk
Built: 1927
Tonnage: 5,313 / 8,927 tons
Cargo: 5,395 tons of general cargo and mail
Route: Bathurst - Freetown - Takoradi
Sunk 26 FEB 44 by U-66 on pos. 04º 44’N 03º 20’W
7 Dead
57 Survivors
At 15.10 hours on 23 Apr 1943, U-306 (Trotha) fired a spread of four torpedoes at the convoy HX-234 southwest of Iceland and heard two detonations. The Silvermaple en route from Matadi to Liverpool via Halifax with general cargo and military stores was hit in 59°05'N/35°40'W, but managed to reach her destination on 29 April without casualties among her crew of 55 men and returned to service after being repaired in July 1943.
On 26 Feb 1944, U-66 attacked the convoy STL-12 about 130 miles west of Takoradi and reported one ship sunk and another damaged. However, the only ship hit and sunk was the Silvermaple (Master William Candlish Brydson). The master, five crew members and one gunner were lost. 47 crew members, nine gunners and one passenger were picked up by HMS Kildwick (Z 06) (Lt P. Pannell) and landed at Takoradi on 27 February.
By Silvermaple (British Motor merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net