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Auke Visser's International Esso Tankers site | home
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Beaconlight - (1931-1942)
![]() ![]() After circumnavigating the world, the SS "Beaconlight", build as "Richconcal", was topedoed and sunk in 1942.
Sistership is the "Beaconoil".
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![]() The Miramar Ship Index for "RICHCONCAL"
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![]() Subsequent History:
1923 BEACONLIGHT
Disposal Data:
Torpedoed and sunk by U 160, 10.59 N / 61.05 W 16.07.1942 ( 1dead )
History :
![]() Additional Info by Starke & Schell Registers :
1920 - RICHCONCAL, USA 1T (aft) (11)
7,072 GRT for U. S. Shipping Board, San Francisco 1047 435.0 x 56.0
Tanker built by Bethlehem SB. Corp., Alameda, Calif. (6) #1469 220143
1923 - BEACONLIGHT Beacon Oil Co., Inc., Boston
1928 - National Bank of Commerce in New York (Trustee), Inc., Boston [Beacon Transport Co.]
1931 - Standard Shipping Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del.
1935 - Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, Wilmington, Del.
1940 - Panama Transport Co., Panama, PA
Torpedoed and sunk by U 160, 16 July 1942, in 10.59N-61.05W, voyage Table Bay - Trinidad, in ballast.
Note from Mike Lewis :
My father was on the S S Beaconlight when she was torpedoed by U160, according to the records the other Royal Navy gunner was called Walker,
it was infact Reginald Waller. My father and Reg were picked up and taken to Trinidad.They both boarded the S S Algonquin and taken to Tampa.
They both joined the SS Parkhaven in New York.
Additional information from Uboat.net :
Name: Beaconlight
Type: Steam tanker
Tonnage: 6.926 tons
Completed: 1920 - Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp, Alameda CA
Owner: Panama Transport Co (Standard Oil Co), Panama
Homeport: Panama
Date of attack: 16 Jul, 1942
Nationality: Panaman
Fate: Sunk by U-160 (Georg Lassen)
Position: 10.59N, 61.05W - Grid ED 9946
- See location on a map -
![]() Complement: 41 (1 dead and 40 survivors).
Convoy: -
Route: Capetown (21 Jun) - Trinidad
Cargo: Ballast
History: Built as Richconcal, 1923 renamed Beaconlight for Standard Oil Co of New Jersey, New York, 1940 registered
under Panamanian flag
Notes on loss:
At 09.34 hours on 16 Jul, 1942, the unescorted Beaconlight (Master Urban A. Haughan) was struck by one torpedo from U-160 on the
starboard side between # 8 and # 9 tanks and five minutes later by a second torpedo on the same side in the engine room. The ship began
to sink inmmediately about ten miles northwest Galera Point, Trinidad. One crewman was lost. 38 crewmen and two British gunners (the
ship was armed with one 12 pdr aft and two .30cal machine guns on each side of the bridge) abandoned ship in three lifeboats. They were
picked up six hours later by the small steam passenger ship Trinidad and landed at Port of Spain the same day.
The drifting wreck had to be sunk by the Dutch tug Roode Zee in position 10°58N/61°10W, to prevent her being a menace to navigation.
U-160 misidentified the tanker as the Gallia.
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