This site is dedicated to the memory of the officers and men of the ss Nailsea Court lost in action during the Battle of The Atlantic on the 10th March 1943

Overview of Events - ss Nailsea Court

 The ss Nailsea Court was owned by E.R. Management Co. LTD (Evans & Reid) - Cardiff and was built in 1936 by the  Bantham Steamship Co. Ltd. Her
GRT was 4946.

On the 10/3/43 she was torpedoed and sunk by U-229 (Oberleutant Schetelig), part of the 'Ostmark' patrol group of eleven U-boats, in the Atlantic S of Reykjavik, in position 58.45N 21.57W.

Her last voyage was as part of Convoy SC 121 which comprised of 57 ships. The passage was from Beira to New York 23.2.43 and then London. She was carrying 2 passengers and 7661 tons of general cargo including 650 tons of copper bars, 800 tons of nickel ore and asbestos.

The Master, Capt. Robert James Lee (aged 46 and from Penarth, South Wales), 33 crew, 9 gunners and passengers were lost. One crewmember was rescued by the rescue ship Melrose Abbey 1908/29 (Capt Ralph Good OBE) and landed at Gourock 13.3.43; Another 3 crew were rescued by RCN corvette Dauphin 925/40 (K.157) (Lt M.H. Wallace) and landed at Londonderry 13.3.43.

Surviving Officer Mr H C Bette provided a first hand account of the nights terrible events which you can read here Record of 1943 Interview with Surviving Officer

U-229

Oberleutnant zur See Robert Schetelig and his crew of 49 were subsequently lost in the North Atlantic on the 22nd September 1943 when the U-229, then part of the 'Leuthen' patrol group of nineteen U-boats, was sunk by depth charges, gunfire and ramming while attacking convoy ON 202 comprising 38 ships in the Atlantic 430 miles ESE of Cape Farewell, in position 54.36N 36.25W by HM destroyer leader Keppel 1750/20 (D.84) (Cdr M.J.Evans) of Escort Group B.

Commander Evans was subsequently lost in action on the 7th May 1944.

Much factual information is now available by searching on-line, but there is little passed down by relatives of those brave men.