The MS Brilliant was a 9,131 gross ton tanker, built and completed by Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Chester, PA in 1930. Here owner was Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. Inc., New York, and she was home-ported out of New York as well. On November 9th, 1942 the MS Brilliant, with master Soren Sorenson, departed New York, with a cargo of 90, 704 barrels of Petrol, Gas, and oil bound for Belfast, Ireland. She was the third ship in the seventh column (#37) part of the 48 ship Convoy SC-109 which was due to arrive in Liverpool on November the 30th. The SC-109 was accompanied by 21 escorts. Lurking along the route of this convoy so happened to be the German Submarine U-43, commanded by Oblt. Hans-Joachim Schwantke. The U-43 observed the convoy....then lined up and shot off a spread of four-torpedoes. Two of those torpedoes were meant for two freighters of the convoy, one of which hit an ammunition freighter, which exploded with a huge column of fire....the third torpedo that must have been aimed for the MS Brilliant....missed its mark..[ there is a report that this torpedoed did hit a tanker beyond the Brilliant...however this cannot be confirmed....nor can it be confirmed that the ammunition freighter was hit....from the Allied reports....but the U-43 made claims of the hits ]...however...the fourth torpedo struck the Brilliant on the starboard side between the #5 tank and the pump room. Well this one hit opened a hole about 40 feet in diameter in the Brilliant’s side....destroying three tanks and causing leaks in three other tanks on the port side. The blast set the cargo on fire, and the whole ship abaft the bridge began to burn. The below watch secured the engines. Ok...here is where there is some difference of why the master, along with three officers, and three crewmen, and two U.S. Navy Armed Guard decided to leave the ship. This grouping did in fact lower a boat.....but some data will state that the master thought the ship was lost so he ordered the men on the bridge to abandon ship.....whereas another accounting will state the master had lower the boat as a safety maneuver to get out of danger....then reboard the vessel once they seen if it was going to stay afloat. Most of the “make sense” data that the author read....was the Master and the above men was on the bridge....the Master looked aft...actually could not see the aft part of his ship...he didn’t know if it was even there....and on top of all this there was no communication to the aft part of the ship....so the Master decided to remove what men he could ....into the lowered life boat to see what would take place...at least they would be in some measure of safety in doing so. This the author believes was the Master’s thinking in saving lives. But...once they boarded the lift boat....it was swamped by the heavy seas....and everyone in the boat was tossed into the sea. About an hour later they were picked up by the British Rescue ship SS Bury. Most of these men had some very serious injuries ....and exposed to sever weather while being in the cold sea.....so they were immediately turned over to the surgeon of the Bury. When the master of the Brilliant found out his ship was still afloat....he immediately requested permission to reboard ...as well as most of his men that had left the ship with him....but the surgeon of the Bury would not allow the Master or any of his men return to the tanker....even though it was apparent she could make it to port under her own power. The Master and his men was taken immediately to Glasgow Scotland. Meantime aboard the Brilliant....the officer now in charge, which was a junior officer...and the men still aboard put out the flames and at three knots brought the tanker into Buena Vista Bay, Newfoundland. Actually the entire complement of nine officers, thirty-three men, and eighteen Armed Guards survived this ordeal ....and the MS Brilliant survived as well.....but it does not end here... Ok...once arrived the ship was shored up with very temporary repairs...enough so that it could be towed to Halifax for permeant repairs, and to discharge the remaining cargo. So new crew members, including a new Master...Andrew Lagan, were brought from New York to replace all those that were injured or taken to Glasgow, Scotland. The MS Brilliant left St. John’s Bay on December 18th....in a 6 ship convoy.....but due to gale force winds and very rough seas, the Master turned the Brilliant back....to St. John’s Bay...where she remained until more favorable weather was in the forecast for her to sail. On January 18 the Brilliant departed....escorted by HMCS Chelsea and the Royal Navy tug Frisky. On January 20th the wend and sea increased and the sea rand high again from the west. The Captain attempted to ease the laboring of the ship by slowing down and changing course but at about mid-day the ship badly weakened by the torpedo explosion, broke in two pieces. The forward section sank, but the stern section drifted for 5 days with 44 men aboard. This section later sank while being towed to Placentia, Newfoundland. All 11 men on the forward section were lost. They included the Master, 6 crew member, 3 U.S. Armed Guard and the Coast pilot. The 44 men in the stern section were taken off by a life boat from HMS Frisky and a boat from HMCS Goderich, a mine sweeper. The survivors were landed in Argentina, Newfoundland on January 24th. Merchant Seaman Lost James C. Cameron Jr. (3rd Mate) Anthony E. Colandro (OS) William P. Demerest (AB) Thomas F. Hickey (Chief Mate) Andrew T. Lagan (Master) Glen C. Schmoker (AB) Paul A. Yhouse (Radio Oper.) & ?? (Coast pilot) The U-43 was launched in November of 1939...and she met her fate on July 30th 1943 by a Fido Homing torpedo from an Avenger aircraft of the USS Santee....[ all hands lost ]. During her sub life she had hit 23 ships.