Остров Кильдин

Name Thomas Donaldson
Type: Steam merchant (Liberty)
Tonnage 7,210 tons
Completed 1944 - Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards Inc, Baltimore MD
Owner American Export Lines Inc, New York
Homeport Baltimore
Date of attack 20 Mar 1945 Nationality: American

Fate Sunk by U-968 ( Otto Westphalen)
Position 69.26N, 33.44E - Grid AC 8867

Complement 69 (4 dead and 65 survivors).
Convoy JW-65
Route Gourock (11 Mar) - Murmansk
Cargo 7679 tons of general cargo, including 6000 tons of ammunition, foodstuffs and locomotives and tenders as deck cargo
History Completed in February 1944

Notes on loss In the afternoon on 20 Mar, 1945, U-968 attacked the convoy JW-65 and reported a destroyer and a Liberty sunk and another Liberty ship torpedoed. In fact, the sloop HMS Lapwing (U 62) of the 7th Escort Group and the Liberty ship Thomas Donaldson were sunk.

The Thomas Donaldon (Master Robert Headden) was the twentieth ship as the convoy formed into one column to enter Kola Inlet and was hit at 13.15 hours on the starboard side by one torpedo about 20 miles from the mouth of Kola Inlet. The torpedo struck the engine room, killed one officer and two crewmen on watch below and destroyed the engines. Due to her dangerous cargo the master ordered the crew of eight officers, 34 crewmen and 27 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) to abandon ship after 10 minutes. The most left in the two port lifeboats and a raft and were picked up by HMS Bamborough Castle (K 412) (T/Lt M.S. Work, DSC and Bar, RNR), while others jumped overboard and were picked up by HMS Oxlip (K 123) (T/Lt J.K. Craig, RNVR). One man died after being rescued. The master and eight crew members remained aboard and were later taken off by HMS Honeysuckle (K 27) (T/Lt J.A. Wright, RNR), which took the ship in tow toward Kola Inlet. At 16.30 hours, a Soviet tug took over the tow but the Thomas Donaldson sank stern first at 17.45 hours, one-half mile from Kilden Island in 68°26´30N/33°44´20E.