The tannker Oscilla (owned by La Corona) left liverpool in convoy ON-71 (totalling 42 ships). On March 8, the Admiralty telegraphed the convoy commodore that after the convoy was to disperse on March 9, the Oscilla was to proceed directly to Curaçao, not to Halifax.

In the night of March 15/16, the ship was hit by one torpedo at about 22.45 hours. The ship immediately developed a list to port, which increased gradually to more than 35 degrees. This caused a lot of problems lowering the starboard lifeboat. Later, several other lifeboats were lowered.

At about 23.10, a second torpedo struck the Oscilla. At that time, the crew was trying to lower a port lifeboat. Those working on that boat barely managed to hang on because of the water crashing down on them. Those who still could, abandoned ship.

After all boats were some distance away, a submarine sank the Oscilla by gunfire. Later that morning, a headcount showed that the master (M.A.F. Kuypers), a cook, a Chinese quarter master and a Chinese sailor were missing. That afternoon, the American ship "Explorer" picked up all survivors.

The Oscilla had been torpedoed by the Italian Morosina, which had fired five torpedoes; according to the Italians, three had hit. Later, the ship also received 8 hits by 100 mm shells.

On a sidenote. Four officers of the Oscilla were on board the "Leto" as passengers when the ship was torpedoed and sunk in the early hours of May 12. Two officers of Oscilla were killed in the sinking.

Source: K.W.L. Bezemer "Geschiedenis van de Nederlandse Koopvaardij in de Tweede Wereldoorlog", volume 1, pp. 546-549

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