Ships hit by U-boats


Janeta

British Steam merchant



Photo from City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 447-2333

NameJaneta
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage5,312 tons
Completed1929 - Barclay, Curle & Co, Whiteinch, Glasgow 
OwnerMaclay & McIntyre Ltd, Glasgow 
HomeportGlasgow 
Date of attack1 May 1944Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-181 (Kurt Freiwald)
Position18° 14'S, 20° 00'W - Grid FS 5931
Complement48 (14 dead and 34 survivors).
Convoy
RouteAlgiers - Gibraltar (15 Apr) - Rio de Janeiro - River Plate 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in November 1929 
Notes on event

At 04.11 hours on 1 May 1944 the unescorted Janeta (Master John Cameron) was torpedoed and sunk by U-181 about 900 miles south by west of Ascension Island. The U-boat misidentified the ship as Banavon. Ten crew members and four gunners were lost. The master, 30 crew members and three gunners were rescued: On 12 May ten survivors in the boat in charge of the third officer were picked up by USS Alger (DE 101) after being spotted by aircraft and landed at Bahia. 15 more survivors were picked up by the Swedish motor merchant Freja about 150 miles south of Bahia on 14 May and landed at Rio de Janerio. The boat in charge of the master with nine occupants made landfall near Belmonte on 17 May and eventually reached Bahia aboard a small coaster on 20 May.

 
On boardWe have details of 18 people who were on board


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