Polydorus
Dutch Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales
| Name | Polydorus | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,922 tons | ||
| Completed | 1925 - Scott´s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Greenock | ||
| Owner | Nederlandsche Stoomvaart Mij ´Oceaan´, Amsterdam | ||
| Homeport | Amsterdam | ||
| Date of attack | 27 Nov 1942 | Nationality:  Dutch | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-176 (Reiner Dierksen) | ||
| Position | 9° 01'N, 25° 38'W - Grid ES 1659 | ||
| Complement | 81 (1 dead and 80 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | ON-145 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | Liverpool (8 Nov) - Freetown | ||
| Cargo | 8657 tons of military stores, including 1500 tons of ammunition | ||
| History | Completed in February 1925 | ||
| Notes on event | At 04.54 hours on 27 Nov 1942 the unescorted Polydorus (Master H. Brouwer), dispersed from convoy ON-145 on 15 November, was hit by two torpedoes from U-176 northwest of Freetown and sank after a huge explosion at 05.03 hours. The U-boat had missed with six torpedoes during a chase lasting 50 hours, the longest recorded pursuit by a U-boat in the Second World War. The master, 66 crew members, eleven gunners and two passengers abandoned ship in four lifeboats immediately after the hits, but one Chinese crewman died in an accident while lowering the boats. The survivors were picked up by the Spanish steam merchant Eolo (Master Urgelles) and landed on 5 December at Las Palmas, Canary Islands. | ||
| On board | We have details of 81 people who were on board. | ||
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