Stanley George Nicholson

S.S. Warlaby joined unescorted convoy SLS.64 on a voyage from Alexandria to Oban with a cargo of cotton seed & oil. Departed Freetown at 09.00 hours on January 30, 1941 with the captain of SS Warlaby as convoy Commodore. 11/2/1941 convoy spotted by Fw200 of Luftwaffe KG40.

At 08.15 hours on February 12, 1941, in position 37.12N, 21.20W, an unidentified naval vessel approached from the west. This vessel was the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper which opened fire without warning and continued to shell the convoy. SS Shrewsbury was sunk. SS Warlaby hoisted the signal to disperse but this was shot away and was not seen by the rest of the convoy. After taking a broadside of 8 shells, which blew away her funnel, mast, bridge, lifeboats and engine room, SS Warlaby rolled over and sank at 08.30. Only the Chief Officer J. D. Evans and two crew members survived. Her cook G.R. Thomas and Able Seaman C.W. Brown who were rescued by HMS Camito the next day.

The master Septimus Howard Murray, thirty-six crew members and one naval signalman are commemorated on Tower hill, Panel 116. Out of the 18 ships in the convoy, 7 were sunk and 2 damaged.

Admiral Hipper sank;

SS Borgestad - Blew up whole crew of 31 killed including 1 woman. Norma Nergaard, formerly Hayes, died with her new husband 1st mate Harold Nergaard. Norma is believed to be the first American woman to die in combat in WW2. SS Borgestad turned and steamed towards Admiral Hipper hitting her control tower with return fire from her WW1 era single 4" DEMS gun and a pair of .303 Lewis anti-aircraft guns. By contrast Admiral Hipper was armed with, eight 8" guns mounted in four twin gun turrets. Her anti-aircraft battery consisted of twelve 4" guns, twelve 1.5" guns, and eight 0.79" guns. She had four triple 21" torpedo launchers.

SS Derrynane - Blew up whole crew of 35 killed. Engaged Admiral Hipper with her 4" DEMS gun.

SS Oswestry Grange - All crew got into the lifeboats, but 1 sank killing 5.

SS Perseus - 13 killed 1 survivor. The Second Officer was rescued from a raft by HMS Camito at 14.00, 13/2/1941, together with four survivors from SS Shrewsbury and 3 from SS Warlaby.

SS Shrewsbury - 20 killed, 18 in a lifeboat hit by shellfire, 18 survived. 1st ship sunk.

SS Westbury - 33 survived 5 killed. 3rd ship to be sunk set on fire by shelling then sunk by torpedo.

SS Nailsea Lass - Sunk by U-48 after falling behind due to engine trouble.