Ships hit by U-boats

Athelmonarch

British Motor tanker

Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection

Name	Athelmonarch
Type:	Motor tanker
Tonnage	8,995 tons
Completed	1928 - William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow
Owner	United Molasses Co Ltd, London
Homeport	Liverpool
Date of attack	15 Jun 1943	Nationality: British

Fate	Sunk by U-97 (Hans-Georg Trox)
Position	32° 20'N, 34° 39'E - Grid CP 59
Complement	51 (4 dead and 47 survivors).
Convoy
Route	Beirut, Lebanon (15 Jun) - Alexandria
Cargo	13,600 tons of Admiralty fuel oil
History	Completed in April 1928 At 02.04 hours on 20 Oct 1940, the Athelmonarch (Master Thomas James Donovan) in convoy HX-79 was hit and damaged by one torpedo from U-47 (Prien) in position 56°45N/15°58W. The tanker was en route from Santiago de Cuba to Liverpool via Bermuda with a cargo of 13,146 tons of molasses. No casualties in the crew of 41. She arrived at the Clyde on 23 October, was repaired in Liverpool and returned to service in July 1941.
Notes on event	At 14.30 hours on 15 June 1943 the Athelmonarch (Master Robert John Roberts), escorted by RHS Aetos (D 01), was torpedoed and sunk by U-97 northwest of Jaffa, Palestine. Four crew members were lost. The master, 35 crew members and eleven gunners were picked up by the destroyer and landed at Beirut.
On board	We have details of 5 people who were on board.

Attack entries for Athelmonarch

Date	U-boat	Commander	Loss type	Tons	Nat.
20 Oct 1940	U-47	Kptlt. Günther Prien	Damaged	8,995
15 Jun 1943	U-97	Kptlt. Hans-Georg Trox	Sunk	8,995

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