Francoise D'Amboise

The Francoise D'Amboise, a steel hulled sail barque laden with a cargo of coke, 79.6 L x 11.9 B x 6.7 D metres, 1973 GRT, built 1901 Dubigeon, Nantes-Chantenay, France, owner Société Nouvelle d’Armement, Nantes, France, registered in Nantes, France, Captain Tranchant.

This vessel in passage from Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, for Valparaiso, Chile, was stopped by the German submarine U 22, Captain Bruno Hoppe, who ordered the crew to abandon ship and head for a Swedish fishing vessel which was working a few miles away. After boarding the small boats, the submarine came alongside demanding to the ship's papers, which were examined by Captain Hoppe, and returned. The submarine then returned her attention to the ship and sank her with a torpedo at a position given as 60.00N, 03.45W, which falls very approximately 55 miles WSW of Foula. The date this incident occured on is disputed, with U.K. records stating it was on June 21st 1915, and German records stating it was on June 21st 1916.

The crew were all safely picked up by a Swedish steamship around two hours after the incident. Although they had seen the Swedish fishing vessel to which they'd been directed, for reason(s) not recorded they had decided not to contact her. They were transferred to a Royal Navy trawler the next day, and landed at Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland.