Ships hit by U-boats


Nieuw Zeeland

Dutch Troop transport



Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales

NameNieuw Zeeland
Type:Troop transport
Tonnage11,069 tons
Completed1928 - NV Rotterdamsche Droogdok Mij, Rotterdam 
OwnerKoninklijke Paketvaart Mij., Amsterdam 
HomeportBatavia 
Date of attack11 Nov 1942Nationality:      Dutch
 
FateSunk by U-380 (Josef Röther)
Position35° 57'N, 3° 58'W - Grid CH 7472
Complement256 (18 dead and 238 survivors).
ConvoyTorch
RouteNorth Africa - Gibraltar 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in April 1928. In 1940 the steam passenger ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty as troop transport. 
Notes on event

At 12.42 hours on 11 November 1942 the Nieuw Zeeland (Master Klaas Ulbe Noordenbos) was hit by one of four torpedoes fired by U-380 about 80 miles from Gibraltar and sank following a coup de grâce at 13.08 hours. The ship was returning from Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa and carried 214 crew members, 29 gunners and 13 service passengers. 14 men were lost. The survivors abandoned ship in twelve lifeboats: six were picked up by HMS Porcupine (G 93) (Cdr G.S. Stewart, RAN), five by HMS Albrighton (L 12) (Lt R.J. Hanson, DSC, DSO, RN) and one by HNMS Isaac Sweers (G 83) (Capt W. Harmsen) and landed at Gibraltar, but four men died of wounds after being rescued.

 
On boardWe have details of 42 people who were on board


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