Derrycunihy was a general-purpose cargo ship of 10,200 tons built (yard number 275) by Burntisland Shipbuilding Company for McGowan & Gross of London.

Because of critical shipping requirements during the Second World War she had been built at great speed: her keel was laid on 22 June 1943, she was launched on 11 November the same year, and was delivered on 26 February 1944.

On 18 June 1944 HQ, A and C squadrons of the 43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment ("43 Recce") embarked at West India Docks, London, aboard the Derrycunihy.

Landing craft and the gunboat HMS Locust quickly came alongside and picked up survivors, most of whom were evacuated to SS Cap Touraine, a former French liner.

[4][5][6][7][8][3] When all the survivors had been taken off, Captain Richardson of the Derrycunihy and the commanding officer of 43 Recce, Lieutenant-colonel Francis Lane Fox, argued over who should be last to leave the half-sunken ship.