Leopoldville
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Leopoldville | ||
| Type: | Troop transport | ||
| Tonnage | 11.509 tons | ||
| Completed | 1929 - John Cockerill SA, Antwerp and Hoboken | ||
| Owner | Compagnie Maritime Belge (Lloyd Royal) SA, Antwerp | ||
| Homeport | Antwerp | ||
| Date of attack | 24 Dec, 1944 | Nationality:  Belgian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-486 (Gerhard Meyer) | ||
| Position | 49.45N, 01.34W - Grid BF 3553 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 2374 (819 dead and 1555 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | WEP-3 | ||
| Route | Southampton (24 Dec) - Cherbourg | ||
| Cargo | 2235 troops and war material | ||
| History | Completed in August 1929 as Belgian steam passenger ship Leopoldville. 1937 lengthened. In May 1940 converted by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) to a troop transport. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 17.54 hours on 24 Dec, 1944, the Leopoldville (Master Charles Limbor) in convoy WEP-3 was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-486 about five miles off Cherbourg and sank over the stern at 20.40 hours. The ship carried 2235 officers and ratings of the US 66th Infantry Division and a crew of 139 men. The master, 55 crew members and 763 soldiers were lost. | ||
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