the crew of the "irish oak" became acutely uneasy after her engine failed and she was left behind by sc 55, dead in the water, to wait for a tugboat; this, coupled with the experiences of other irish ships, especially in og 71, the "nightmare convoy" in august 1941, resolved irish crews and owners to sail as neutrals, out-of-convoy. thereafter irish ships were clearly marked and fully lit, usually sailing out-of-convoy on a direct course, and they always answered sos calls for assistance. irish ships rescued 534 men; yet lost 20% of their seamen.