Port Victor
British Motor merchant
Name | Port Victor | ||
Type: | Motor merchant | ||
Tonnage | 12,411 tons | ||
Completed | 1942 - Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Walker-on-Tyne | ||
Owner | Port Line Ltd, London | ||
Homeport | London | ||
Date of attack | 1 May 1943 | Nationality: British | |
Fate | Sunk by U-107 (Harald Gelhaus) | ||
Position | 47° 49'N, 22° 02'W - Grid BE 4511 | ||
Complement | 164 (19 dead and 145 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Buenos Aires - Montevideo (17 Apr) - Liverpool | ||
Cargo | 7600 tons of refrigerated foodstuffs and 2000 tons of general cargo | ||
History | Completed in October 1942 | ||
Notes on event | At 00.30 hours on 1 May 1943, U-107 fired a spread of two stern torpedoes at the unescorted Port Victor (Master William Gordon Higgs, OBE) northeast of the Azores, which was zigzagging directly into a good firing position in about 1000 meters distance. The ship carried 65 passengers (including 23 women and children), stopped after one torpedo hit amidships and the crew made the lifeboats ready to be launched. After a first coup de grâce hit amidships at 00.36 hours the boats were lowered, but when she was hit in the bow by a second coup de grâce at 00.45 hours two lifeboats were destroyed and the occupants killed. The vessel developed a list to port but still sent radio messages until being hit underneath the bridge by a third coup de grâce, which broke the ship in two and caused her to sink. Twelve crew members, two gunners and five passengers were lost. The master, 74 crew members, ten gunners and 60 passengers were picked up by HMS Wren (U 28) (LtCdr R.M. Aubrey, RN) and landed at Liverpool. | ||
On board | We have details of 24 people who were on board. |
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