Robert George Turner

TOWER HILL MEMORIAL Panel 113

The MV Underwood was a British motor cargo ship that was sunk by German E-boats off the coast of Cornwall on January 6, 1944.

She featured exceptionally large cargo hatches, making her ideal for transporting heavy military supplies like tanks, vehicles, and aircraft.Service: Originally ordered for Australian coastal trade, she was completed and requisitioned by the British Ministry of War Transport upon the outbreak of war.

She was travelling as part of Convoy WP 457 from the River Clyde in Scotland toward Portsmouth, carrying vital military stores and vehicles. On the night of January 5–6, 1944, the convoy was ambushed in misty weather by fast German E-boats (motor torpedo boats) near The Lizard off the coast of Cornwall.

The attack struck multiple ships in the convoy. The Underwood was hit and went down with all hands. Crew members who perished, including Radio Officer Alexander McRae, are commemorated and buried locally in Penzance Cemetery in Cornwall.

The wreck of the ship was eventually located and identified in 1975 using details found on her propeller boss.

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