LOSS OF THE S.S. TOWARD        

 

On the 7th February 1943 she was on route from Halifax, Canada for Greenock, Scotland. The other ships left NY on 24th January 1943 on the slow convoy across the Atlantic, Toward was escorting merchant ships. She left Halifax on 27th January 1943 At 03.47 hours on 7 Feb 1943, U-402 fired a torpedo that hit The Toward (Master George Keir Hudson) on the port side after 2 minutes 15 seconds and caused the ship to sink in about 15 minutes, southeast of Cape Farewell. The Toward was the rescue ship that accompanied convoy SC-118 and dropped from her position to rescue survivors. The master, 28 crew members, eleven gunners, one naval surgeon, one sick berth attendant, two signalmen and two passengers were lost. 22 crew members, five gunners and one signalman were picked up by HMS Mignonette (K 38) (Lt H.H. Brown, RNR) and landed at Londonderry.