Friday, 2nd August 1940
The Hull registered 'SS Highlander' (1,000t) cargo vessel, steamed into Aberdeen with a Heinkel He 115 seaplane draped across her stern. The ship had just survived a bombing attack and the aircraft had turned to rake her with machine-gun fire. While doing so, the enemy had come just a little bit too close and was hit by the ship's gunners. It crashed in flames into the sea about 100 yards astern of the 'Highlander'.
The gunners were celebrating this 'kill' when another Heinkel He 115 suddenly turned up. After making several passes it attacked, dropping bombs which missed. It too was caught by machine-gun fire on the turn; it lost height and its port wing hit the 'Highlander's' port lifeboat and swung the plane around on to the poop deck. It caught fire and the ship's crew put it out. There were no survivors from either plane.
The 'Highlander' was the first merchantman to bring down a German plane with its Lewis guns. The ship was renamed in an attempt to avoid repercussions but it was later sunk by aerial torpedo off Aberdeen, going down with all hands.
Saturday, 2nd August 1941
'SS Trident' (4,317t) just ending a voyage from Montreal to the UK was sunk by German aircraft in the River Tyne.
Sunday, 2nd August 1942
'SS Flora II' (1,218t) cargo ship, Reykjavik to Hull, was sunk by U 254, S of Iceland.
Regards,
Ray.