S28 was a high speed German motor torpedo boat, at a length of 33mtrs and powered by 3 Daimler Benz marine diesel engines, she was capable of speeds up to 44 knots. Her armament consisted of 2 x 21 inch torpedo tubes with 4 torpedoes carried, 3 x 20mm cannons, 1 x twin and 1 x single along with a single 37mm flak cannon. The S in S boat stands for schnell, this meaning fast in German, the name given to these craft was Schnellboot (Fast boat).
SS Corduff
CORDUFF SS
Sister ship to the SS cordene
Position ... 52 52 222 N / 001 40 01 E
Depth ... 36mtrs
Built ... 1923
Tonnage ... 2345 grt
Dimensions ... 86 x 12.8 x 6.7 mtrs
Engine ... Triple expansion
Power ... 247 nhp
Speed ... 10 knots
Lost ... 8th March 1941
Cause of loss ... Torpedo (S-Boat) whilst in convoy FN-426
Builder ... Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend
Owner at time of loss ... Cory Colliers Ltd (WM. Cory & Sons) London.
Casualties ... 7
Type ... Cargo. Raised quarter deck, x4 holds, engines and bridge midships, plumb bow, counter stern.
Convoys FN-426 and FS-429
On the night of the 7th March 1941 the German 1st MTB Flotilla consisting of S26 / S27 / S28 / S29 / S101/ S102/, along with the 3rd MTB Flotilla consisting of S31 / S57 / S59 / S60 / and S61, made a night time sortie on both convoys FN-426 and FS-429 off Yarmouth and Cromer . The attack saw five vessels lost from convoy FN-426 (listed below) and two vessels from Convoy FS-429, these being the Boulderpool (S61) and Kenton (S31).
Convoy FN- 426 was escorted by the destroyers Versatile and Berkeley along with the patrol sloop Sheldrake, the sheldrake narrowly missing being hit by one of the S Boats torpedoes.
Convoy FS-429 was escorted by the destroyer Pytchley and the patrol sloop Puffin.
The destroyers Worcester and Whitshed were dispatched to cover both convoys.
History ... On the 11th November 1940, some five months prior to being sunk by S28, the Corduff had a near escape whilst attached to the east coast South bound convoy FS-32 During the attack the Corduff was damaged but took no casualties.
Circumstances of loss.
Whilst attached to the north bound convoy FN-426, London to Hartlepool, the Corduff was torpedoed by the S Boat S28 of the 1st MTB Flotilla. During the attack on convoy FN-426, three other ships were sent to the bottom and one being beached, these being SS Norman Queen by S101 // SS Rye by S27 // Dotterel (beached) by S29 and SS Togston by S102. At the time of the attack, fourteen of the Corduff's crew abandoned ship via the ships lifeboat, in turn leaving aboard seven dead and two badly injured, the two injured men later being taken prisoner by the Germans. The fourteen crew members in the lifeboat were later picked up by the Cromer lifeboat H F Bailey (Cox'n Blogg)
Below ... S Boat (Schnellboot)
Casualties.
Edward Crutchley, Able Seaman // Thomas Wilkinson Crutchley, Able Seaman // John Davison, Fireman // William Hall, Fireman // George Helm, Fireman // George Heslop, Able Seaman // Thomas Hannah, Able Seaman.
UKHO
19/12/50 ... Wreck located at 52 52 18 N / 001 40 06 E / Least depth 12 fathoms = 21.8mtrs
24/1/83 ... wreck located at 52 52 20 N / 001 40 07 E / Least depth 21mtrs in a general depth of 34mtrs. Scour depth 2mtrs / Height 12.8mtrs approx. Apparently intact, 100 mtrs long approx. Needs to be wire swept.
24/09/90 ... Positively identified as the wreck of the Corduff from crockery stating the name of the owners, Cory Coal Co. The bell has been reportedly raised. There is a split across the ship seperating the stern slightly from the forward part.
1/12/93 ... Located in 52 52 204 N / 001 40 071 E. Swept clear at 21.8mtrs, foul at 22.1mtrs. Least depth 22.6mtrs in general depth of 34mtrs. Clearly defined intact wreck.
September 2015 ... Examined in 52 52 369 N / 001 40 017 E. Least depth 26.2mtrs, length 90mtrs, width 12mtrs, height 9mtrs. Intact and upright.
Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, builders of the Corduff. In 1903 C. S. Swan and Hunter merged with Wigham Richardson in an effort to win the prestigious contract to build the Mauretania for Cunard. Their bid was successful, and the new company, Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson was born. Based in the Wallsend Shipyard, Tyne and Wear, the company was responsible for some of the greatest ships of the 20th century, most famously the RMS Mauretania which held the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing, and the RMS Carpathia which rescued the survivors of the RMS Titanic. In 1966 Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson merged with the Smiths Dock Company to form Associated Shipbuilders, which later became the Swan Hunter Group.
George T. Grey & Co, builders of the Corduff's engine.
Company established by George Thomas Grey at the Holborn Engineering works, South Shields, 1882
Below ... The house flag of Cory Colliers (W. M. Cory & Sons) London.
Cory Colliers Ltd (W. M. Cory & Sons) London, owners of the Corduff. The house flag of Cory Colliers Ltd, London. A red, rectangular flag with a white diamond in the centre. Cory Colliers were a branch of William Cory and Son. Originally in the coal trade, they became tug operators, taking over several other companies. In 1985 they were consolidated under the control of Cory Towage Limited, and the flag emblem was altered from a white diamond to a blue one edged white. They were taken over and absorbed by Bureau Wijsmuller in February 2000.
The Corduff today
Awaiting divers report .... (From UKHO reports in 2015, the wreck of the Corduff showed itself to be upright and intact).