HMS Kite (U 87)
British Sloop
Name | HMS Kite (U 87) | ||
Type: | Sloop (Modified Black Swan) | ||
Tonnage | 1,350 tons | ||
Completed | 1943 - Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
Owner | The Admiralty | ||
Homeport | |||
Date of attack | 21 Aug 1944 | Nationality: British | |
Fate | Sunk by U-344 (Ulrich Pietsch) | ||
Position | 73° 01'N, 3° 57'E - Grid AB 5456 | ||
Complement | 226 officers and men (217 dead and 9 survivors). | ||
Convoy | JW-59 | ||
Route | Loch Ewe (15 Aug) - Murmansk | ||
Cargo | |||
History | HMS Kite (U 87) participated in the sinking of U-449, U-462, U-504, U-226 and U-238. | ||
Notes on event | At 20.45 hours on 20 Aug 1944, HMS Keppel (D 84) got a contact on her starboard quarter, while escorting convoy JW-59. Together with HMS Kite (U 87) and a Swordfish aircraft from HMS Vindex (D 15) the U-boat was attacked with hedgehogs and depth charges. They hunted the U-boat throughout the night with their foxers (Anti Gnat devices) streamed, but the hunt was fruitless. At 06.04 hours on 21 August, HMS Kite (U 87) (LtCdr A.N.G. Campbell, RN) had slowed down to 6 knots to clear her foxers, which had become twisted around one another. At this vulnerable moment, U-344 fired a spread of three FAT torpedoes at the sloop, misidentified as Dido-class light cruiser by Pietsch. The ship was struck by two torpedoes on the starboard side and heeled over to that side immediately. The stern broke off, floated for a few seconds, then sank. The bow remained afloat for a minute and then sank at a steep angle. | ||
On board | We have details of 226 people who were on board. |
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