The tanker Esso Williamsburg, Capt. J. Tweed, left the island of Aruba, Dutch West Indies, for Reykjavik, Iceland on September 12th 1942, with a cargo of 110,043 barrels of fuel oil and a crew of 42 officers and men with 18 naval gunners. She sent a wireless distress call at 8.24am on the 21st and a blue flare was sighted about 450 miles S.E. of Cape Race, but nothing more was ever heard of her. The following is my typed copy of a hand which was attached to the other documents. The question marks denote words I can’t make out. zolajack. Further Information on the loss of the SS ESSO Williamsburg Following entry in Admiralty War Dairy (Foreign Stations) Monday 21 Sept 1942, page 627. “Received at 0824 gmt from KVOF 9ESSO WILLIAMSBURG). Pass to admiralty. From KVOF MSG 1C??? strong distress signals were heard ??? all day on 600m at 1 hour and 2 hour intervals sometimes at 30 minute after the hour and other times at 45 minutes after the hour. Signals ??? to ??? distress signal sent 3 times followed by a 4 second dash and repeated for approximately 2 minutes. A blue flare was sighted at 2230 gmt 20th at 4338N 4230S (Portishead Radio 0834 gmt/21st to Admty, C W A.)And from p873 of Admiralty War Dairy, Home Command Wednesday 30 Sept 1942 “Have you any news of the ESSO WILLIAMSBURG (US) due Reykjavik 25/9 from Aruba. DTD 1454A/39 to S.O.T. Iceland. Your 1454/30. Not arrived. Ni information as to whereabouts (S.O. (I) Iceland 2107/A/30 to Admty. Part 1Sequel to the sinking of the S/S Esso Williamsburg by U-211 in the North Atlantic, 25th September 194?. Esso Williamsburg was an American Motor Tanker of 11,237 GRT, she was about 400 miles west of Iceland, bound for Reyjavik with fuel oil. 25th Sept. 1854-from COAC-General. Distress signal from lifeboat 531ON 4102w 1900 – FROM DESTROYER TO so ESCORT. Am steering course to pass through reported position of lifeboat, reference COAG 1854.2222 - from destroyer to COAC – immediate – ask lifeboat WTKJ to transmit on 500Kc/? As I am in vicinity. Next day 26th Sept – 0745 – from destroyer to lifeboat – keep transmitting, we are trying to take bearing 0750. from lifeboat – SOS we are carrying Navy fuel to Iceland when struck – Approx position 6330N 4100W SOS. 0758 – from lifeboat – In Gods name send help quickly. We were swamped yesterday and could not send other messages. SOS SOS 0810 – from Destroyer – received your signals. Make Z and long dashes if you can hear us. Part II 0838 – SOS from WTKJ – our approx position 5330N 41W we will send 30 minutes after each hour so you can get a D/F bearing on us. Please hurry and us in Gods Name 1059 – from Destroyer – can you hear us please, go ahead now. If you can hear me call me sign Abner 1200 –SOS Lifeboat WTKJ Williamsburg. Badly in need of water and medical assistance 1355 – from Destroyer - from Destroyer – we are coming to you aid. Keep sending. Our call sign is Abner. Can you hear me now? 1400 – from Lifeboat to Abner. Yes and thanks to God old man to you we will send from here on the hour and 30 minutes after the hour as the men get very tired from cranking the generator. 1425 – from Abner – I am going to drop a depth charge in five minutes. Let me know if you hear it 1435 – from Lifeboat – We did not hear your depth charge 1545 – from Lifeboat Esso Williamsburg – will send again in 10 minutes 1617 – SOS from Lifeboat WTLK – need medical aid and water immediately will send again in 15 minutes 1633 – from WTKJ Lifeboat. The sun has just broken through to the west of us. We have a bright orange flag up from a 20 ft mast we did not hear your gun fired or depth charge. 1718 – The sun is shining and the sea is very slightly chop. We have to use oars…..to keep from being swamped. The wind is blowing us outer (sic) to sea. 1730 – from Lifeboat – we just sighted you NE of us and coming closer. We are firing a flare in a few minutes. 1735 – from Lifeboat – Flare pistol wont work but you appear to be steering towards us 1740 – from Lifeboat – the ship that we sighted was 2 to 5 miles away. Is that you? 1742 – from Abner – AM going to fire a rocket. Report if you can see it. 1800 – from Lifeboat – The ship we see has one stack. 1815 – from Abner – Did you see the rocket? or hear my charge? 1825 – from Abner – Am I still steering for you? The lifeboat was never found only wreckage.Further research has the information that a weak signal was heard but no sightings of the survivors and nothing more was heard. As to the call sign it seems that the RCN did use international voice call signs and Abner T was assigned to the Cape Breton ex Flambourugh Head but this was in 1944. |
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Wireless SOS from Esso Williamsburg lifeboat |