SS Black Osprey

SS "Black Osprey" was a cargo ship for the American Diamond Lines and the British Cairn Line. She was formerly known as SS "West Arrow" when she was launched for the from the bow. A radio dispatch from "West Arrow" reported that she was proceeding under her own power and was not taking on any water. [cite news | title = White Star Liner hits Ship Board freighter | work = The New York Times | date = 20 September 1923 | page = 5 ] By March 1926, "West Arrow" was sailing for American Diamond LinesAmerican Diamond Lines was founded by the United States Shipping Board for cargo service between the United States and Rotterdam and Antwerp, and was managed from about 1920 by the Black Diamond Steamship Company of New York. See: de la Pedraja Tomán, p. 80.] in New York – Rotterdam service on a U.S. Government-subsidized mail route.cite news | last = Carter | first = John | title = Ships under American flag obtain federal assistance | work = The New York Times | date = 21 March 1926 | page = X20 ] In July 1932, the ship was moved to a new Baltimore – Antwerp route, [cite news | title = Baltimore port gets new Antwerp service | work = The New York Times | date = 5 July 1932 | page = 28 ] but by December 1934 was again sailing to Rotterdam. [cite news | title = Shipping and Mails | work = The New York Times | date = 3 December 1934 | page = 35 ]

In 1935, American Diamond changed the name of "West Arrow" to "Black Osprey", which remained on the Rotterdam route into 1936. In March of that year, "The Wall Street Journal"—reporting on a large gold shipment from the United States to Holland—speculated that "Black Osprey" was the ship that had been selected to carry $345,000 of gold for export. [cite news | title = $345,000 gold engaged here for shipment to Holland | work = The Wall Street Journal | date = 3 March 1936 | page = 9 ] On 25 March 1938, "Black Osprey" was sailing in a dense fog off St. Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight when she struck the GRT|311 British cargo ship "Chagford", which sank within five minutes. Three of "Chagford"'s six-man crew were picked up by "Black Osprey", whose crew searched in vain for three hours for the other three men. After the fog lifted, the "Chagford" survivors were transferred to a fishing vessel that landed the crewmen, and "Black Osprey" resumed her Rotterdam – Philadelphia journey. [cite news | title = London steamer sunk in fog | work = The Times | date = 20 September 1923 | page = ]

World War II

After the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, "Black Osprey", still registered in the neutral-United States, was seized by British authorities on 6 September and detained at Weymouth. After carefully inspecting the ship for any contraband, the British released the ship after a week. [cite news | author = Associated Press | title = British free American ship | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 14 September 1939 | page = A ] However, on 31 October, the British again seized "Black Osprey", and had not released yet released her by 8 November, when the U.S. State Department released a list of 40 American ships that had been detained by belligerents. [cite news | author = Associated Press | title = Belligerents detain 40 ships | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 9 November 1939 | page = 2 ]

After the United States established a "Neutrality Zone"—a zone where American-flagged ships could not enter—in late 1939, American Diamond was unable to use "Black Osprey" or any of the other seven vessels used on its Dutch route, and chartered the ships to other U.S. companies. [de la Pedraja Tomán, pp. 80–81.] "Black Osprey" was one of several chartered to the Isthmian Line,cite news | title = British seek ships of Black Diamond | work = The New York Times | date = 23 November 1940 | page = 31 ] and made voyages in the Pacific, calling at ports such as Singapore and Honolulu in 1940. [cite news | author = Associated Press | title = Arrivals and clearances at Pacific ports | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 20 September 1940 | page = A14 ] After a typhoon with winds in excess of convert|115|mph hit Wake Island in early October, "Black Osprey" was diverted through heavy seas to check on the welfare of the 35 men on the island, all found to be safe. [cite news | title = Wake Island, clipper base, hit by typhoon | work = The New York Times | date = 19 October 1940 | page = A ]

In November, American Diamond sought the permission of the USMC|first=long, a successor to the USSB, to sell "Black Osprey" and seven other ships to the British. The USMC granted the permission, [cite news | title = Cargo ship is sold by Diamond Line | work = The New York Times | date = 1 February 1941 | page = 33 ] and "Black Osprey" was sold to the Ministry of War Transport for operation by the Cairn Line of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for about $50 per deadweight ton, or around $440,000.

The deal was completed before "Black Osprey"'s 10 December sailing from Philadelphia to Baltimore under the British flag. "Black Osprey" then sailed from Baltimore on 25 January 1941 for Halifax, where she arrived on 30 January.cite web | title = Port Arrivals/Departures: Black Osprey | url = http://convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=BLACK+OSPREY~armain | work = Arnold Hague's Ports Database | publisher = Convoy Web | date = | accessdaymonth = 2 September | accessyear = 2008 ] "Black Osprey", loaded with a cargo of steel, [cite AHCD | convoytype = HX | convoynumber = 107 | accessdaymonth = 2 September | accessyear = 2008 ] joined Convoy HX-107 that sailed from that port for Liverpool on 3 February. After falling behind in the convoy, "Black Osprey" was torpedoed by "U-96" under the command of "Fregattenkapitän" Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock at 02:27 on 18 February south of Iceland, near position coord|61|18|N|18|6|W|display=inline,title. The ship's master and 24 crewmen died in the attack. "Black Osprey"'s 11 survivors were picked up by the Norwegian refrigerated cargo ship "Mosdale" and landed at Barry. [cite web | last = Helgason | first = Guðmundur | title = Allied Ships hit by U-boats: Black Osprey | url = http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/769.html | work = The U-Boat War 1939–1945 | publisher = uboat.net | date = | accessdaymonth = 2 September | accessyear = 2008 ]

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