Italian submarine fates

Ships hit by Italian submarines

Type	Tanker
Country	British
Built	1938	GRT	8,078

Date of attack	25 Apr 1943	Time	1845Z (e)
Fate	Sunk by submarine Leonardo da Vinci (T.V. Gianfranco Gazzana Priaroggia)
Position of attack	37° 05'S, 33° 55'E
Complement	64 (53 dead and 11 survivors)
Convoy
Notes	At 1726Z hours, Da Vinci torpedoed the British tanker *Doryssa* (8,078 GRT, built 1938) on a voyage from Cape Town to Abadan. At 1845Z hours, a second torpedo hit *Doryssa* and she was finished by gunfire. Fifty-three were killed. Eleven were rescued by the minesweeping whaler HMSAS Southern Barrier at 1115Z hours on 30th April 1943 and they reported that other survivors had been killed by shell fire while in their boats. This was the second time that such an accusation was levelled at the crew of Da Vinci (the first was during the sinking of *Lulworth Hill). It may have been an impression, as perhaps the submarine fired above the lifeboats at the tanker. Da Vinci* had now expended all her torpedoes and was returning to base. She made her last signal on 30th April 1943 and apparently was located by HF/DF at approximately 600 miles NW of Capetown.