Woensdrecht
Dutch Motor tanker
Name | Woensdrecht | ||
Type: | Motor tanker | ||
Tonnage | 4,668 tons | ||
Completed | 1926 - NV Mij voor Scheeps-en Werktuigbouw ´Fyenoord´, Rotterdam | ||
Owner | NV Phs. van Ommeren´s Scheepvaartbedrijf, Rotterdam | ||
Homeport | Rotterdam | ||
Date of attack | 12 Sep 1942 | Nationality: Dutch | |
Fate | A total loss by U-515 (Werner Henke) | ||
Position | 10° 27'N, 60° 17'W - Grid ED 9992 | ||
Complement | 74 (1 dead and 73 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Matadi - Takoradi - Port of Spain, Trinidad | ||
Cargo | Ballast | ||
History | | ||
Notes on event | At 10.41 hours on 12 Sep 1942 the unescorted Woensdrecht was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-515 southwest of Trinidad. Two days earlier, the tanker had picked up 36 survivors from Cressington Court and one of them was killed by debris from the explosion. When the U-boat surfaced near the stopped ship a few minutes later, the gunners opened fire with the 4in stern gun and forced it to dive immediately. The 38 crew members and the remaining survivors abandoned ship in lifeboats and were picked up the following night by two American patrol vessels. The tanker broke in two after being hit by three coups de grâce at 10.50, 11.36 and 11.48 hours. While the stern sank, the forepart was towed to Trinidad, where she was declared a total loss and later scrapped. | ||
On board | We have details of 61 people who were on board. |
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