Ships hit by U-boats


Primrose Hill

British Catapult armed merchant


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NamePrimrose Hill
Type:Catapult armed merchant (CAM)
Tonnage7,628 tons
Completed1941 - William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow 
OwnerCounties Ship Management Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack29 Oct 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by UD-5 (Bruno Mahn)
Position18° 58'N, 28° 40'W - Grid DS 9835
Complement49 (3 dead and 46 survivors).
ConvoyON-139 (dispersed)
RouteGlasgow (16 Oct) - Takoradi - Apapa 
Cargo3000 tons of coal and 1796 tons of general cargo, including war material and 11 aircraft 
History Completed in September 1941 
Notes on event

At 21.18 hours on 29 Oct 1942 the Primrose Hill (Master Maxwell Dunnett Mackenzie), dispersed from convoy ON-139, was hit by one of two torpedoes fired by UD-5 northwest of the Cape Verde Islands. The torpedo struck in the stern, set the ship on fire immediately and killed three crew members. The survivors abandoned ship in four lifeboats and were questioned by the Germans. They told them that all officers were killed in the explosion but this was apparently not true. The U-boat then fired at 22.46 hours a coup de grĂ¢ce that hit near the bridge and at 23.13 hours another one that hit in the stern, broke her in two and caused her to sink at 23.45 hours. The master, 37 crew members and eight gunners were picked up by the British motor merchant Sansu and landed at Freetown.

 
On boardWe have details of 8 people who were on board


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