Mount Helmos
Greek Steam merchant
Name | Mount Helmos | ||
Type: | Steam merchant | ||
Tonnage | 6,481 tons | ||
Completed | 1923 - John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank | ||
Owner | Kulukundis Shipping Co SA, Piræus | ||
Homeport | Piræus | ||
Date of attack | 24 Nov 1942 | Nationality: Greek | |
Fate | Sunk by U-181 (Wolfgang Lüth) | ||
Position | 26° 38'S, 34° 59'E - Grid KP 6463 | ||
Complement | 35 (1 dead and 34 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Suez - Aden - Capetown - St. John, New Brunswick | ||
Cargo | Ballast | ||
History | Completed in April 1923 as steam tanker Invergordon for Andrew Weir & Co, London. 1937 sold to Greece and converted to the steam merchant Mount Helmos. | ||
Notes on event | At 07.38 hours on 24 Nov 1942 the unescorted Mount Helmos was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-181 after a G7a torpedo was evaded one minute earlier. The survivors abandoned ship in lifeboats and were questioned by the Germans. The U-boat then shelled the ship with 78 rounds (65 hits) from the deck gun until it sank at 08.42 hours. During the attack the barrel of the 37mm AA gun burst and the damage made the weapon unusable for the rest of the patrol. |
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