We had onboard 3,000 tons of fuel oil, 850 tons of aviation spirit, 500 tons of diesel oil, also lubricating oil and coal. We were armed with a 4.7”, 1 12 pdn, 2 Pig troughs, 2 Hotchkiss, 2 Maxim, 2 Lewis, Kites and P.A.C. rockets. The confidential books were in a weighted bag in the chart room and went down with the ship. The number of crew, including myself and 4 Naval and 2 Army Gunners was 50, of which 41 are missing.

2. I was on shore at 0040 22nd October as were also 7 other members of my crew, when there were two loud explosions on the port side of my ship, which was the seaward side. The sea at the time was smooth and very dark but clear.

3. A Military Sergeant named Elliot and a Corporal on watch on the cliff heard the explosions. They both ran down to the gulley to their search light post and from there saw the silhouette of a submarine in the glare of the lights from the burning ship. A native who was on look-out from point of the island stated at the enquiry that he also a shape of ???? he could not define it or definitely state it was a submarine.

4. I immediately went down to the Wharf where a number of people had collected and saw my ship blazing furiously. I took a launch and went off to the ship which was now burning from end to end and the sea round about also on fire. We picked up two men from the water and these were the only survivors from those who were actually onboard at the time of the explosion.

5. We searched in the vicinity until 0245, but could not find any more survivors. By this time the ship was still blazing furiously, and I through that in the view of her cargo I had better warn the Military to clear everyone from the water. I telephoned the Major in charge and asked him to clear everybody away. This he did and then I went to the hospital to interview the two survivors to see if they thought there was any chance of further survivors having got clear of the ship.

6. At 0400 two-thirds of the fore part of the ship was still above water and the after part was completely submerged. About 0530 the Darkdale blew up and sank within five minutes.

7. I then telephoned to the Colonel and told him that I was sure there was a submarine around, and he replied that he could fin no evidence of enemy action at all.

8. I asked him if he had made a signal to C. in C. South Atlantic that my ship had been sunk by enemy action and he said “No” as he did not think it was.

9. I knew that a mail boat was due in the morning, and that the C. in C. would require all possible information as early as possible.

10. The Authorities started an enquiry at 0900 the next day (22 October). In evidence taken from various people during the first day nothing was said about anyone having seen the submarine or anything resembling a submarine.

11. At 1400 next day, at the enquiry, a Royal Engineer Officer, Captain Scratchley, said he had new evidence to bring forward. He stated that two of his men had seen a submarine. The Colonel said, “Why bring new evidence forward at this stage”.

12. Sergeant Elliot and the Corporal came forward and said they were sure they had seen the submarine, and drew a diagram of the object they had seen.

13. Next day (24th October) a ship came in with two Naval Officers (Captain Bell RN, and another officer) who joined the Court of Enquiry.

14. Another witness came forward that afternoon. This witness stated that the Pumpman from my ship had been in his home 2 or 3 weeks before and stated that he had seen the Bo’sun and a Greaser going on watch drunk, and the Pumpman had said that some day the Darkdale would be blown up. This man had a theory that the Fireman would burst a boiler and blow the ship up.

15. I am quite sure that there was no drunkenness among my men who were on watch at any period of our stay. One survivor said he had spoken to the Donkeyman and Greaser as they were going on watch at 2400 and they were perfectly sober. This man also stated that he had been round the decks after 2400 and that everything was quite normal and that there was no smell of petrol or signs of fire.

16. At 0015 the last batch of shore leave men had returned to the ship and the boatman said there was nothing to indicate that there was any trouble on board.

17. I am also quite sure that it would not be possible for anyone to have boarded the ship without being seen by the Officer or the men on watch.

18. I am firmly of the opinion that the ship was sunk by enemy action.

19. The divers who examined the ship reported that the explosion appeared to have been from inside of the ship outwards, and I am of the opinion that the torpedo penetrated the petrol tank, then exploded and blew a hole in the ships side.

20. Another look-out man stationed at another part of the island reported seeing a dark shape near the ship at the time of the explosion, but was not prepared to say it was a submarine.

21. I am convinced that the evidence of the two Royal Engineers is correct, and that the sinking of the Darkdale was due to a torpedo from an enemy submarine.”

Captain Card’s views were subsequently found to be totally correct. By examining the log of the German submarine U68 it can be found that she fired four torpedoes at the Darkdale. Of these four torpedoes three hit the ship and exploded.