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Brilliant - (1930-1943)
See also : MS BRILLIANT THE LOSS & German Records off the Attack on the SS "Brilliant" & General Plan "Brilliant"
"Brilliant" was build in 1930. Torpedoed and sunk in 1942.
"Brilliant" in 1930.
"Brilliant", outbound, September 11th, 1942.( Photo US Coast Guard )
"Brilliant", November 7th, 1942.( Photo US Coast Guard )
"Brilliant".
Stern section of the tanker MS "Brilliant" sinking on January 25, 1943 off Newfoundland. 44 men adrift on this
section for 5 days after she broke in two on January 20, 1943.
The Miramar Ship Index for
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BRILLIANT
|
IDNo / IMO
|
2230338
|
Year
|
1930
|
Name
|
BRILLIANT
|
Flag
|
USA
|
Owner
|
Standard Tptn., Co., Inc.
|
Type
|
Tanker
|
Tons
|
9132
|
DWT
|
14533
|
LOA
|
152.43
|
LPP
|
146.30
|
Beam
|
20.04
|
Dept
|
11.28
|
Draft
|
??
|
Machinery
|
1D-11
|
Power
|
3300 IHP
|
ShipDesign
|
Tanker
|
Builder
|
Sun
|
Yard
|
Chester, Pa
|
Yard No
|
127
|
Country built
|
USA
|
Keel
|
28.04.1930
|
Launch
|
05.11.1930
|
Completed
|
15.11.1930
|
Subsequent History
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1931 BRILLIANT - Standard-Vacuum Tptn., Co.
1931 BRILLIANT - Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc.
|
End
|
1943
|
Disposal Data
|
Torpedoed by U 43, 18 Nov 1942, in 50.45 N-45.53 W, voyage New York - Belfast, fuel oil. Broke in two under tow 45.00 N / 55.00 W on 20.01.1943 [ voyage St.John's Nfl.-Halifax, for repairs ]
|
Additional information from Uboat.net :
Name: Brilliant
Type: Motor tanker
Tonnage: 9.131 tons
Completed: 1930 - Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Chester PA
Owner: Socony-Vacuum Oil Co Inc, New York
Homeport: New York
Date of attack: 18 Nov, 1942
Nationality: American
Fate: A total loss by U-43 (Hans-Joachim Schwantke)
Position: 50.45N, 45.53W - Grid BC 2241
- See location on map -
Complement: 60 (0 dead and 60 survivors).
Convoy: SC-109
Route: New York (9 Nov) - Belfast
Cargo: 90704 barrels of fuel oil
History: -
Notes on loss: At 09.56 hours on 18 Nov, 1942, U-43 fired a spread of four torpedoes at the convoy SC-109 and observed two hits
after 1 minute 44 seconds on an ammunition freighter, which exploded with a column of fire rising about 200 meters. The next shot
missed a tanker and hit a ship beyond and the last hit and stopped the tanker. Schwantke claimed the sinking of two steamers
of 5000 tons each and the tanker as damaged.
Only the hit on Brilliant (Master Soren Sorensen) in station #73 can be confirmed from Allied reports. The torpedo struck between
the #5 tank and the pump room, opening a hole about 40 feet in diameter in the side, destroying three tanks and causing leaks in
three other tanks on the port side. The cargo was set on fire and the whole ship abaft the bridge began to burn. The watch below
immediately secured the engines and the master, three other officers, three crewmen and two armed guards lowered a boat intending
to stay with the tanker. The rough seas and the headway caused this boat to swamp, tossing the men in the water. They were
later picked up by the British rescue ship Bury. The surgeon on this ship denied the master´s request to return to his ship
and took them to Glasgow.
The remaining men on the Brilliant, in charge of the junior third officer, who earned the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service
Medal for this action, put out the flames and brought the tanker at three knots over 300 miles into Buena Vista Bay, Newfoundland
on 24 November. The entire complement of nine officers, 33 men and 18 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one
3in, four 20mm and two .30cal guns) survived.
On 18 Dec, 1942, the Brilliant (Master Andrew Lagan) left St.Johns in a six ship convoy for Halifax because the tanker
could not be repaired and discharged in Newfoundland. Due to gale force winds and rough seas, the master turned
back to St.Johns the next day.
On 18 Jan, 1943 the Brilliant departed again in tow of the British tug HMS Frisky, escorted by the Canadian HMCS Chelsea.
Two days later she broke in two in heavy gales and rough seas in 46°13N/58°38W. The forepart sank immediately, taking all
eleven men on this section with her. These men were the master, two officers, four crewmen, three armed guards and the coast
pilot. The afterpart drifted for some days with 44 men aboard 150 miles to the southeast until a lifeboat from the tug and a
boat from the Canadian minesweeper HMCS Goderich took the survivors off and brought them to Argentia, Newfoundland on
24 January. The afterpart was taken in tow to Placentia, Newfoundland, but sank in 45°18N/55°12W the next day.