SS Irish Oak (1919)
The SS Irish Oak was an Irish-operated steamship which was sunk in the North Atlantic during World War II by a German submarine.
As the West Neris she had been built in the US and operated by the United States Shipping Board. In 1941, she was chartered by Irish Shipping Limited, to transport wheat and fertilizer from North America to Ireland. Sailing as a clearly marked neutral vessel, not in-convoy, she was nonetheless torpedoed and sunk by U-607 on 15 May 1943 midway between North America and Ireland. The crew were rescued.
At the time there were conflicting reports that she had not and allegations that she had warned a nearby convoy of the presence of a U-boat. The British nationality of her captain became an issue in the Irish general election of June 1943, there were diplomatic exchanges between the United States and Ireland, and questions raised in the British House of Commons. The U-boat's captain received a mild reprimand.
Read more about SS Irish Oak (1919): Construction, West Neris, Crew, Official Numbers and Code Letters, Other Ships Named Irish Oak, See Also
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