Ships hit by U-boats


Maria da Glória

Portuguese Sailing ship



Photo courtesy of Antonio Fangueiro

NameMaria da Glória
Type:Sailing ship
Tonnage320 tons
Completed1919 - Gafanha da Nazaré 
OwnerEmpresa União d’Aveiro Lda, Aveiro 
HomeportAveiro 
Date of attack5 Jun 1942Nationality:      Portuguese
 
FateSunk by U-94 (Otto Ites)
Position50° 14'N, 39° 12'W - Grid BD 1422
Complement44 (36 dead and 8 survivors).
Convoy
RouteLisbon (19 May) - Codfish fishing grounds off Greenland 
CargoNone 
History Built as three masted lugger Portugalia. 1927 renamed Maria da Glória (B 201) and fitted with an auxiliary engine in 1937. 
Notes on event

At 21.50 hours on 5 June 1942, U-94 sighted a sailing ship without visible markings in the blockade area and began shelling the ship without warning at 22.10 hours. The neutral Maria da Glória (Master Sílvio Ramalheira) raised the Portuguese flag and stopped after two rounds hit the vessel, killing two crewmen. The U-boat ceased fire while the crew abandoned ship in nine dories and then shelled the lugger until she sank at 22.50 hours. The dories first kept together for five days, but were then separated in fog and bad weather. On 15 July, the master and seven men were picked up by the US Coast Guard yacht USCG Sea Cloud (WPG 284) and landed at Boston on 18 July, where they were admitted to a hospital as they had suffered badly from hunger and thirst. Despite a search for the other dories, the remaining 34 men were never found.

 
On boardWe have details of 44 people who were on board


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