HMS SPRINGBANK (FCS) it is!
Congrats!
HMS Springbang was a FCS or FIGHTER CATIPULT SHIP not C.A.M. or Catipult Armed Merchantship. The difference was the FCS's were turned into regular Naval Vessels with added armament and support unlike the CAM Ships.
HMS SPRINGBANK: Name: HMS Springbank
Type: Fighter catapult ship (Pegasus Class)
Tonnage: 5.155 tons
Completed: 1926 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Govan, Glasgow
Owner: The Admiralty
Homeport: Glasgow
Nationality: British
Fate: Sunk by U-201 (Adalbert Schnee)
Position: 49.09N, 20.10W - Grid BE 1939
- See location on a map -
Complement: 233 (32 dead and 201 survivors).
Convoy: HG-73
Route: Gibraltar - UK
Cargo:
History: In November 1939, the motor merchant Springbank of Andrew Weir & Co, London was requisitioned by the Royal Navy, converted until October 1940 to an Auxiliary Anti-Aircraft vessel and commissioned on 25 November. The armament consisted of eight 4in guns in pairs and two 2pdr Quadruple guns (Pom Pom). In March 1941, she was converted to a fighter catapult ship (FCS) of the Pegasus-class, a predecessor of the CAM-ships and carried a Fulmar fighter of the 804 FAA-Squadron on a cordite powered catapult amidships.
Notes on loss: Between 02.08 and 02.11 hours on 27 Sep, 1941, U-201 fired five torpedoes at the convoy HG-73 about 700 miles west of the Bishop Rock and observed how the first detonated with a huge flash and the ship quickly sank. The second was seen to explode close to an escort and two other torpedoes struck another ship, whereupon the U-boat had to dive and could not observe the results. The ships hit were Siremalm and HMS Springbank.
Most survivors from HMS Springbank (Capt C.H. Goodwin, DSO) were rescued by HMS Jasmine (K 23) (LtCdr C.D.B. Coventry), which went alongside to take off survivors and later scuttled her by gunfire after an attempt to sink her with depth charges failed. Other survivors were picked up by HMS Hibiscus (K 24) (Lt H. Roach), which landed them at Gibraltar and by HMS Periwinkle (K 55) (LtCdr P.G. MacIver), which landed them at Milford Haven.
On 18 September, the HMS Springbank launched her fighter, which chased away a German Fw200 Condor and landed at Gibraltar where it was discovered that faulty ammunition had caused all but one of the guns to jam.
