Calchas
British Steam merchant
| Name | Calchas | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 10,305 tons | ||
| Completed | 1921 - Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | ||
| Owner | Alfred Holt & Co, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 21 Apr 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-107 (Günter Hessler) | ||
| Position | 23° 50'N, 27° 00'W - Grid DT 4249 | ||
| Complement | 117 (30 dead and 87 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Sydney, NSW - Freetown - Liverpool | ||
| Cargo | 9000 tons of general cargo, including wheat, butter, flour and steel billets | ||
| History | Completed in June 1921 | ||
| Notes on event | At 14.20 hours on 21 April 1941 the unescorted Calchas (Master William Richard Fielding Holden) was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-107 about 550 miles north of the Cape Verde Islands. The ship stopped and sank after being hit amidships by a coup de grâce at 14.58 hours. The master, 25 crew members, one gunner and one of the nine passengers were lost. 33 survivors landed at Sal Maria Island, Cape Verde on 4 May. 23 survivors landed at Boavista Island, Cape Verde and 33 survivors landed at St. Louis, Senegal after sailing 650 miles in 16 days in the #5 lifeboat. Two Chinese crew members died of exhaustion after reaching land. | ||
| On board | We have details of 39 people who were on board. | ||
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