# Eagle Line Tanker " San Fabian "



## Marconi Operator (Jul 3, 2007)

Hi, I was wondering if anybody could give or direct in the correct path to obtain any information on the Eagle Line Company and espcially their tanker " San Fabian ".

My late father served on this vessel as Second Radio Officer during World War II and was on her on her last and fateful trip from Curacao to Liverpool, in convoy when she was torpedoed somewhere in the Carribean. My father wouldn't tell me much about the experience, just that she was fully ladened with fuel. I believe the survivors were rescued by a Canadian Naval escort vesel.

Any information on the vessel or company would be greatfully appreciated.


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## Thamesphil (Jul 22, 2005)

I believe you mean the company Eagle Oil. If you type "Eagle Oil" and San Fabian into Google there seems to be a number of references to this ship and her sad loss.

Phil


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Theres a web page on her here

http://www.helderline.nl/tankers/1104/San+Fabian+(1)/


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

*SAN FABIAN Official No 146560*

SAN FABIAN o/n 146560. GRT 13031. Built 1922. Eagle Oil Shipping Co - London.
27.8.42: Torpedoed and sunk by U-511 (Steinhoff), in the Atlantic SE of Cape Tiburon, Haiti, in position 18.09N 74.38W while on a voyage from Curacao 25.8.42 to the UK via Key West, with a cargo of 18000 tons of fuel oil, part of convoy TAW 15 comprising 29 ships. The Master, Capt Lloyd Guy Emmott, 31 crew and 1 gunner were rescued, the Master and 23 survivors by the US four-stack destroyer LEA 1090/18 (DD.118), the Chief Officer and 8 further survivors by US patrol boat PC.38, landed at Guantanamo Bay, transferred to US ship NONSUCO 5225/38 and landed at Charleston, South Carolina 15.9.42. 23 crew and 3 gunners were lost.

photo here: http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/2098.html

Regards


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## allalogie (Dec 27, 2005)

Prior to her sinking..."On May 4th 1941 while under the command of Captain E.R.T. Baldwin, she was discharging cargo at Stanlow when she was struck by a landmine dropped from a german aircraft, two members of the crew being wounded"(Eagle Fleet). She was hit by a parachute mine which blew a hole in the main deck. The superstructure and surrounding structures were extensively damaged. One of the severely wounded crewman was a first trip cadet. San Fabian had just completed a voyage with Convoy HX121 from Halifax, Nova Scotia where they had survived the first daylight wolf-pack attack upon a fully escorted Convoy since the summer of 1940(The Fourth Service)

A survivor report for the San Fabian sinking can be found at the National Archives at Kew. It is under reference ADM199/2142 page 159. It is possible to order online and have the file available for download for £8.50 for ten pages here..

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/digitalexpress/

I have several survivor reports and they are generally between 2 and 5 pages

HTH


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## Lalesue (Jan 27, 2014)

Hello allalogie.

My dad was on the San Fabian when it was sunk by the u boat. He survived.
I am wondering if he made a report and if you would know this. His name was Richard Beck.
I have been to the National Archives website but they no longer have the doc. ref. ADM199/2142 available for download. It seems you have to pay £8.50 for them to search and inspect it and then they send you a quote on how much it would be for a copy to be sent. So I could end up paying £8.50 for the search but not get what I wanted, if you know what I mean.
Hope you can help.
Best wishes.


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## Lalesue (Jan 27, 2014)

allalogie said:


> Prior to her sinking..."On May 4th 1941 while under the command of Captain E.R.T. Baldwin, she was discharging cargo at Stanlow when she was struck by a landmine dropped from a german aircraft, two members of the crew being wounded"(Eagle Fleet). She was hit by a parachute mine which blew a hole in the main deck. The superstructure and surrounding structures were extensively damaged. One of the severely wounded crewman was a first trip cadet. San Fabian had just completed a voyage with Convoy HX121 from Halifax, Nova Scotia where they had survived the first daylight wolf-pack attack upon a fully escorted Convoy since the summer of 1940(The Fourth Service)
> 
> A survivor report for the San Fabian sinking can be found at the National Archives at Kew. It is under reference ADM199/2142 page 159. It is possible to order online and have the file available for download for £8.50 for ten pages here..
> 
> ...


Hello allalogie.

My dad was on the San Fabian when it was sunk by the u boat. He survived.
I am wondering if he made a report and if you would know this. His name was Richard Beck.
I have been to the National Archives website but they no longer have the doc. ref. ADM199/2142 available for download. It seems you have to pay £8.50 for them to search and inspect it and then they send you a quote on how much it would be for a copy to be sent. So I could end up paying £8.50 for the search but not get what I wanted, if you know what I mean.
Hope you can help.
Best wishes.


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

Extracted from my book SHIPPING COMPANY LOSSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

SAN FABIAN (Captain L.G. Emmott). Bound for the UK from Curaçao and in Convoy TAW.15 when torpedoed and sunk by U.511 (Kptlt. Friedrich Steinhoff) at 6.29am on 27 August, 1942, in position 18º09´N 74º38´W. Twenty-six died. Thirty-three picked up by the destroyer USS Lea and the patrol craft USS PC-38 and landed at Guantanamo Bay. 

Other victims of U.511 – torpedoed at the same time as the San Fabian
Rotterdam (Du.) (Captain W. de Raat). Ten died. Thirty-seven picked up by the submarine chaser USS SC-522.
Esso Aruba (Captain F. Pharr). Damaged, but made it to Guantanamo Bay under her own power at 10pm the next day. None died.


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## Lalesue (Jan 27, 2014)

IAN M said:


> Extracted from my book SHIPPING COMPANY LOSSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
> 
> SAN FABIAN (Captain L.G. Emmott). Bound for the UK from Curaçao and in Convoy TAW.15 when torpedoed and sunk by U.511 (Kptlt. Friedrich Steinhoff) at 6.29am on 27 August, 1942, in position 18º09´N 74º38´W. Twenty-six died. Thirty-three picked up by the destroyer USS Lea and the patrol craft USS PC-38 and landed at Guantanamo Bay.
> 
> ...



Thanks Ian. I have all that information and I have a do***ent showing that my dad was in Guantanamo Bay and leaving on the SS Gatun and arriving in Port Everglades, Florida, US on the 8th Sep 1942. He is listed as a survivor along with 19 others. I am presuming the other survivors travelled to (comparative) safety via another ship.
What I am looking for is the Survivor's Report because I am wondering if there is just one or if there are a few of these reports and maybe one is by my dad.
Thanks, again.


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello,
I have a copy of the Survivor's Report for SAN FABIAN - it was made by the master of the ship. My copy is of very poor quality and will not reproduce well here. Maybe someone has a good quality copy but if not you may wish to send me your email by private message and I will send it on to you. (Thumb)

Regards
Hugh


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## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

Question-grey matter? was there not a black and white film made of this event in the 50's 60's and shown on then the BBCTV.?


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

david freeman said:


> Question-grey matter? was there not a black and white film made of this event in the 50's 60's and shown on then the BBCTV.?


David,
Maybe it was this film you were thinking of.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039797/

regards
Roger


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## price (Feb 2, 2006)

Looking at the grt. and date of build of the San Fabian, it looks that she was a sister ship to the San Felix, I remember seeing the San Felix a number of times in the 1950s, (probably nearing the end of her time). The SanFelix of nearly 20,000 l/t. dwt. and built in 1921, was reputed at time of build to be the largest tanker in the World. I am not sure if this was true, but certainly a very large tanker for that time.


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## Lalesue (Jan 27, 2014)

david freeman said:


> Question-grey matter? was there not a black and white film made of this event in the 50's 60's and shown on then the BBCTV.?


Hi David. It maybe this film you are thinking of, concerning the San Demetrio. Here's the link.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039797/


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## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

thank you Lalesue, my mind is at rest once more.


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## Lalesue (Jan 27, 2014)

david freeman said:


> thank you Lalesue, my mind is at rest once more.



I take it that may have been the one. Glad to help.


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## Lalesue (Jan 27, 2014)

price said:


> Looking at the grt. and date of build of the San Fabian, it looks that she was a sister ship to the San Felix, I remember seeing the San Felix a number of times in the 1950s, (probably nearing the end of her time). The SanFelix of nearly 20,000 l/t. dwt. and built in 1921, was reputed at time of build to be the largest tanker in the World. I am not sure if this was true, but certainly a very large tanker for that time.


You may find this article, on Wikipedia, interesting. Gives all the information about Eagle Oil and when and where every one of their ships were built.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Oil_and_Shipping_Company


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