Italian submarine fates
Ships hit by Italian submarines
Oronsay
| Type | Troop transport | |||
| Country |  British | |||
| Built | 1925 | GRT | 20,043 | |
| Date of attack | 9 Oct 1942 | Time | 1008 0745-0800 (e) | |
| Fate | Sunk by submarine Archimede (T.V. Guido Saccardo) | |||
| Position of attack | 4° 08'N, 20° 57'W | |||
| Complement | 466 (6 dead and 460 survivors) | |||
| Convoy | ||||
| Notes | At 0705 hours, in rainy weather, a large vessel was sighted steering 060° at a distance of 4,000 metres. Archimede attempted a snap attack with the stern tubes, but good not get a good position. At 0720 hours, two torpedoes (533mm, S.I. 270 type) were fired from bow tubes at a distance of 1,800-2,000 metres. After 140 seconds, one scored a hit on the starboard side. This was the troopship Oronsay (20,043 GRT, built 1925), traveling independently, on a return trip from Capetown where she had landed troops with convoy WS 21P. She was carrying 466 passengers and crew. At 0737 hours, another pair of torpedoes (533mm, S.I. 270 type) were fired from bow tubes at a distance 800-1,000 metres. Both missed. The first deviated to port and the second apparently missed ahead. At 0803 hours, a stern torpedo (450mm, W 200 type) was fired from 1,000-1,200 metres. It hit on the port side, but the troopship remained afloat. At 1008 hours, a pair of stern torpedoes (450mm, W 200 type) was fired from 1,000-1,200 metres. They both hit on the port side. The submarine observed about fifteen lifeboats and left the scene. Oronsay finally sank in the evening. Only six men were lost. The destroyer HMS Brilliant picked up 321 survivors (HMS Boreas was also sent to pick up survivors). The French sloop Dumont d'Urville picked up 47 survivors, the French steamer Lipari picked up another 19 survivors. | |||