On this day (11th October) WW2 Shipwreckollections
SS Agapenor (1914-1942)
The SS Agapenor was a British cargo ship built in 1914 by Scott Shipbuilding & Engineering Co.
Owned by Blue Funnel Line Ocean Steamship Co., the Agapenor was struck by two torpedoes from a German U-Boat approximately 180 miles south of Freetown, Sierra Leone whilst on a voyage back to the UK on 11th October 1942. The U-boat responsible had earlier attempted to fire two torpedoes at the vessel, but was unsuccessful.
In addition to the complement of crew and 750 tonnes of copper, the Agapenor was carrying 36 survivors from the SS Glendene which had been sunk by another German U-boat a few days earlier.
Seven crew members were lost and the ship’s survivors were picked up by HMS Petunia and transported back to the UK via Freetown.
The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society provided the survivors with £73 worth of financial support – the equivalent of £3,320 today.
Photo credit: www.wrecksite.eu