Siljan
Swedish Steam merchant
Name | Siljan | ||
Type: | Steam merchant | ||
Tonnage | 3,058 tons | ||
Completed | 1920 - Tyne Iron & SB Co Ltd, Newcastle | ||
Owner | Rederi-A/B Sigyn (H. Lundgren), Helsingborg | ||
Homeport | Helsingborg | ||
Date of attack | 26 Sep 1940 | Nationality: Swedish | |
Fate | Sunk by U-46 (Engelbert Endrass) | ||
Position | 50° 21'N, 18° 45'W - Grid BE 2272 | ||
Complement | 27 (9 dead and 18 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Cardiff - Lisbon | ||
Cargo | Coal | ||
History | Laid down as War Chine, completed in January 1920 as Pilton for W.J. Tatem Ltd, London. 1938 sold to Sweden and renamed Siljan for Rederi-A/B Sigyn (H. Lundgren), Helsingborg. | ||
Notes on event | At 21.20 hours on 26 September 1940 the unescorted and neutral Siljan was hit on port side forward by one G7e torpedo from U-46 about 360 miles west of Cape Clear, Ireland. The ship settled by the bow and the crew began to abandon ship when the U-boat went closer to read her name. They suddenly realized that the ship was still making headway at 6-8 knots and turned towards the U-boat, which had a hard time avoiding a collision and went onto a parallel course just beneath the vessel and came clear after a few minutes, but the diving planes were damaged and the U-boat was forced to abort the patrol. The ship sank after 25 minutes without being identified by the Germans. The survivors were evenly distributed over three lifeboats which later lost contact with each other. The boat in charge of the master made landfall at Ballydavid, Ireland after a strenuous voyage of nine days. The nine occupants of the second officer’s boat were picked up after six days by the French fishing trawler Auguste Maurice and landed in a French port. However, the lifeboat in charge of the chief officer with nine men aboard was never seen again. | ||
On board | We have details of 10 people who were on board. |
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.