Ships hit by U-boats


Wellington Star

British Motor merchant


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NameWellington Star
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage13,212 tons
Completed1939 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast 
OwnerBlue Star Line Ltd, London 
HomeportBelfast 
Date of attack16 Jun 1940Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-101 (Fritz Frauenheim)
Position42° 39'N, 17° 01'W - Grid CF 3224
Complement69 (0 dead and 69 survivors).
Convoy
RouteSydney, NSW - Melbourne - Panama - Falmouth 
CargoRefrigerated and general cargo 
History Completed in August 1939 
Notes on event

At 13.02 hours on 16 June 1940 the unescorted Wellington Star (Master Trevor Williams) was hit in the bow by one G7a torpedo from U-101 about 300 miles west of Cape Finisterre. After the crew abandoned ship in four lifeboats, the U-boat fired three coups de grâce at 14.23, 14.40 and 14.58 hours, but the first two were duds. The ship developed a list and settled but did not sink after the last coup de grâce had hit underneath the bridge. The U-boat surfaced, questioned the survivors and sank the ship with 31 rounds from the deck gun at 16.45 hours. The master and 51 crew members were picked up after eight days by the French steam merchant Pierre L.D. and landed at Casablanca on 24 June. The same day, the remaining 17 crew members in a lifeboat made landfall at Figuera da Foz near Oporto.

 
On boardWe have details of 1 people who were on board


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