MV British Splendour [1] was a tanker which was torpedoed and sunk on 7 April 1942 during World War II by U-552.

On 20 February 1941, she was bombed and damaged by enemy aircraft one mile off South Black Head,[4] having just left Falmouth.

The tanker was carrying 10,000 tons of gasoline, which caught fire quickly when the torpedo hit.

[5] Captain John Hail ordered the crew to abandon ship and the 41 survivors escaped on lifeboats and a raft.

[5] The trawler, HMS St Zeno, later rescued them from the sea and took them to Norfolk, Virginia.