Maritime record MHG47045 - Hms Bullen: Atlantic

NMRS Report: (06/11/2007 11:20:41)
NC78SW 8002 unlocated

Formerly entered as NC38NW 8003 (unlocated).

NLO: Cape Wrath [name: NC 256 750]
Pentland Firth [name centred ND 35 81].

For U-297 (sunk during counter-attack), see NC59SW 8001.

HMS Bullen was commissioned at Boston, Me., USA on 25 October 1943, crossing the Atlantic with convoy HX274 to join HMS Goodall of the same class in B6 EG (escort group), being engaged in both convoy escort duties and independent operations. In September 1944 both ships joined the newly-formed 19th EG at Belfast. While this group was carrying out support and escort duties off Northern Scotland on 6 December 1944 (also cited as 14 December 1944), HMS Bullen was torpedoed amidships, breaking rapidly in two. The subsequent counter-attack by HMS Goodall and HMS Loch Insh was subsequently shown to have sunk U-297, but 55 crew members were killed in the attack or subsequently succumbed.
This unit of the turbo-electric powered Buckley class, a sub-division of the Captain class, was named after Captain C Bullen who commanded Britannia at Trafalgar. She bore the construction number DE 78 and pennant number K470, and was commanded throughout her service life by Lt Cdr AH Parrish, RN.
D Alexander 1998.

(Classified as Frigate and former identity cited as USS [USNS] DE-78: location and date of loss cited as N58 43.75 W4 51.25 and 6 December 1944 respectively). This vessel was torpedoed by U-775, in [German designated] area AN15, 7 miles NE of Cape Wrath.
I G Whittaker 1998.

The map sheet assigned to this record is essentially arbitrary, being derived from the location cited by Whittaker. In the apparent absence of hydrographic or diver survey information, this must be considered unverified.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 8 March 2004.
I G Whittaker 1998.

(Location cited as N58 42 W4 12). HMS Bullen was sunk by U-775 (Korvettenkapitan Erich Taschenmacher) on 6 December 1944 while escorting a convoy off Cape Wrath. An explosion occurred on the starboard side amidships (just abaft the funnel); the after engine room and boiler room probably flooded immediately. The ship quickly broke in two, the forepart turning on its beam-ends and the after part floating vertically. The fore part sank 46 minutes after the attack, and the after part an hour and six minutes later. HMS Loch Insh and HMS Goodall carried out squid and hedgehog attacks on the U boat; HMS Hesperus later landed 97 survivors at Scapa Flow. 72 officers and raings from HMS Bullen lost their lives.
NMRS, MS/1745.

(Re-entered as NC78SW 8002). The map sheet assigned to this record is arbitrary. The indicated location of this loss lies about 25nm ENE of Cape Wrath, and in a charted depth of about 100m; no seabed type is indicated. As cited by MoD, this location appears to be an approximation, and remains unverified. No source or position-fixing technique is cited, and neither diver nor remote survey is mentioned.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 19 March 2004.
HO chart no, 1954 (1982, amended 1993).

The Ministry of Defence has designated the wreck of HMS Bullen as a 'Protected Place' under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. The relevant Statutory Instrument is 2616/2006 which comes into force on 1 November 2006.
Information from Mr P Robertson (Historic Scotland), 19 October 2006.