Cargo ship Ruperra, 4,548grt, (J. Cory & Sons Ltd, British SS Co.) had loaded a cargo of steel billets, scrap iron & planes in New York for Greenock & Leith and joined up with the Liverpool bound 49 ship Convoy HX-79 which left Halifax, Nova Scotia on the 4th October 1940. On the 19th October the Convoy was spotted by U-47 and attacked by a further three U-boats. Over a two day period the U-boats sank 12 British, 1 Dutch & 1 Swedish Merchant ship. On the 19th the Ruperra was torpedoed by U-46 90 miles South-West of Rockall and sank in approximate position 57' 00N 16' 00W. The Captain, 29 crew and 1 DEMS gunner were lost. 7 crew were picked up by the British Merchant ship SS Induna, 5,086grt, (Maclay & MaIntyre) and landed in Methil.

The Merchant Seamen lost from the Ruperra are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London on Panel 89, and are named below.

ACKERMAN, Fourth Engineer Officer, WALTER GORDON, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 20. Son of Alfred Ackerman, and of Ada Edith Gertrude Ackerman, of Canton, Cardiff.

BARRY, Second Officer, EDGAR JAMES, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 56. Husband of Edith M. Barry, of Harrogate, Yorkshire.

BRADLEY, Fireman, EDWARD, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th May 1940. Age 27. Son of Christina Bradley, of Musselburgh, Midlothian.

BRENNAN, Fireman and Trimmer, PETER WILLIAM, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 52. Son of Daniel and Ellen Brennan.

BRUSTAD, Carpenter, HANS KRISTIAN ERLING, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 49. Son of Jacob and Walborg Brustad, of Oslo, Norway; husband of Olive Gwendoline Brustad, of Newport, Monmouthshire.

CULLEN, Sailor, OWEN, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 24. Son of Owen Cullen, and stepson of Lilian Cullen, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

CUMMING, Able Seaman, PETER P., S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 26. Son of John James Cumming and Helen Cumming, of Hamnavoe, Zetland

CUNNINGHAM, Third Engineer Officer, WILLIAM JEFFRIES, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 31.

DAVIES, Master, DAVID THOMAS, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 46.

DAVIES, Fireman and Trimmer, IFOR PERSHING, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 21. Son of Henry and Annie Davies, of Llangadock, Carmarthenshire.

ELLIS, Chief Officer, JOHN RICHARD, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 68. Husband of Margaret Ellis.

FULCHER, Boatswain, HARRY, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 60.

HALL, Able Seaman, WILLIAM RAMSAY, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 37.

HORTON, Fireman and Trimmer, REGINALD JOHN, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 40.

HOWARD, Cabin Boy, ERIC, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 20. Son of Thomas Edward and Frances Hilda Howard, of Briton Ferry, Glamorgan.

JONES, Second Radio Officer, EDWIN HORATIO, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 20.

KENNEDY, Fireman and Trimmer, MICHAEL, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 21. Son of James Kennedy, and of Catherine Kennedy, of Dublin, Irish Republic.

LONG, Fireman and Trimmer, JAMES JOSEPH, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 48.

MORGAN, Mess Room Boy, HAYDEN, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 18. Son of Agnes Maud Morgan, of Tredegar, Monmouthshire.

MORTIMER, Ordinary Seaman, ROGER JOHN, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 19. Son of Sidney W. and Lily M. Mortimer, of St. Davids, Pembrokeshire.

PARIS, Ordinary Seaman, JAMES STEWART, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 27.

RAMSAY, Radio Officer, JAMES MILLER, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 32. Son of Andrew Wilson Ramsay, and of Margaret Jamieson Ramsay, of Bonnyrigg, Midlothian.

REED, Steward, HENRY, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 58. Husband of Elizabeth Jane Reed, of Grangetown, Cardiff.

SHANNON, Sailor, EDWARD, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 31.

SPILLER, Galley Boy, WILLIAM, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 15. Son of William John and Florance Spiller, of Landore, Swansea.

SWEENEY, Fireman and Trimmer, MICHAEL, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 66.

TARASOFF, Donkeyman, LOUIS, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 54.

TUDOR, Second Engineer Officer, JOHN OWEN, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 52. Son of Capt. Thomas Tudor and Mary Tudor; husband of Nellie Tudor, of St. David's, Pembrokeshire.

TURNER, Cook, MELVERN ROBERT, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 22. Son of Harry Melvern Turner and Mary Jane Turner, of Cardiff.

WILSON, Chief Engineer Officer, CHARLES MURRAY, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 57. Son of William and Helen Murray Wilson; husband of Isabella Wilson, of Clarkston, Lanarkshire.

I have traced a photo of the Ruperra for sale at the South African Maritime Museum (see address below).

RUPERRA freighter 4548/1925 in about 1929 & '30 (1940 torpedoed)

South African Maritime Museum
V & A Waterfront
Cape Town
South Africa
Postal Address: P.O. Box 645 Cape Town 8000
Telephone: +27(21) 419 2505/6
Fax: +27(21) 405 2888
Email: museum@maritimemuseum.ac.za