Orfor
British Steam merchant
Name | Orfor | ||
Type: | Steam merchant | ||
Tonnage | 6,578 tons | ||
Completed | 1921 - William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ||
Owner | Henry M. Thomson, London | ||
Homeport | London | ||
Date of attack | 14 Dec 1942 | Nationality: British | |
Fate | Sunk by U-105 (Jürgen Nissen) | ||
Position | 16° 00'N, 50° 00'W - Grid EF 1952 | ||
Complement | 61 (22 dead and 39 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Calcutta - Capetown (16 Nov) - St.Thomas, Virgin Islands - Kingston - Ciudad Trujillo | ||
Cargo | 7170 tons of gunnies (jute fibre) | ||
History | Built as Romsdalshorn 1937 renamed Orfor | ||
Notes on event | At 04.14 hours on 14 Dec 1942 the unescorted Orfor (Master Charles William Matthew Crone) was hit under the bridge by one torpedo from U-105 northeast of Barbados and was abandoned by the crew. The U-boat questioned the survivors and waited until the ship sank at 09.40 hours before leaving the area. The master, 18 crew members and three gunners were lost. 21 survivors landed on Desirade Island, Guadaloupe on 26 December after sailing in a lifeboat about 600 miles in eleven days. The chief officer and 14 survivors were picked up by the British armed yacht HMS Black Bear (FY 046) (Cdr H.B. Pilcher) and landed at Trinidad on 24 December. | ||
On board | We have details of 24 people who were on board. |
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