Extract from Blue Star Line at War by Taffrail:

ON January 27th, 1940, the Sultan Star, a 16.5 knot steamship Of 12,300 tons, sailed from Buenos Aries for the United Kingdom with 8,000 tons of frozen meat and 1000 tons of butter. Commanded by Captain W. H. Bevan, she had a crew of 72 officers and men.

At about 0600 hrs. on February 14th, when about 360 miles to the westward of the entrance to the English Channel, they sighted the cruiser Exeter, accompanied by what Captain Bevan thought was the battle-cruiser Renown and five destroyers, coming up from astern. The Exeter, indeed, was coming home from the, Falkland Islands where she had effected temporary repairs after her severe damage in the action off the River Plate on December 13th. After exchanging signals with the Sultan Star the warship passed on ahead.

At about 16.30 hrs. the Sultan Star was suddenly torpedoed the starboard side aft, one man being killed by the explosion. An S.O.S. was at once sent off by wireless, and the ship started to settle. It was soon obvious she was doomed, so Captain Bevan gave, orders to abandon ship.

The boats were manned and lowered, and before leaving the Captain went to the wireless office and spoke to Mr. P. Winsor, the First Wireless Officer, who was still tapping out the S.O.S.

“Come on!” said the Captain, in so many words. " The ship's sinking fast! You've no time to waste. You must get out of the ship with me at once! "

" I can't sir," said Winsor, still busy with his instruments. At all costs I must stay until I get the All Clear."

And stay he did. The Sultan Star was going down fast with a heavy list. The boat-deck was already under water, and the bows lifting in the air. Captain Bevan remained alongside in his boat until the very last moment, and was nearly capsized and swamped as the ship took her final plunge to the bottom.

Soon after her disappearance Winsor could be heard shouting for help. Wearing his lifebelt he was hanging on to some wreckage, and after being in the water for about twenty minutes was dragged into one of the boats more dead than alive. But his gallant persistence was amply rewarded, for within about 20 minutes of the Sultan Star's sinking, two of the destroyers that had been escorting the Exeter, the Vesper and Whitshed came back at full speed. They located the U-boat, attacked with depth charges, and destroyed her, afterwards picking up all the survivors who were landed at Plymouth next day.

For his services on this occasion Captain Bevan was officially commanded. Mr. Winsor was awarded the M.B.E. and Lloyds War Medal for Bravery at Sea. In his report the Captain described how Winsor had refused to leave, the ship, even after orders to abandon her had been given, to make quite sure that his messages got through. Only then, with the ship on the point of going under, did he jump overboard and take his chance in the water. To quote Captain Bevan's own words:

" I think this wireless operator, Mr. P. Winsor, is one of the bravest men I have ever met since going to sea.'' 

In the above, it reports that the U-48 was sunk, unfortunately the U-48 survived the war until it was she was scuttled on 3 May, 1945 off Neustadt, Germany.