Ships hit by U-boats


Robin Moor


Photo courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News VA

NameRobin Moor
Type:Steam merchant (Hog Island)
Tonnage4,999 tons
Completed1919 - American International Shipbuilding Corp, Hog Island PA 
OwnerSeas Shipping Co Inc, New York 
HomeportNew York 
Date of attack21 May 1941Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-69 (Jost Metzler)
Position06.10N, 25.40W - Grid ES 4670
- See location on a map -
Complement46 (0 dead and 46 survivors).
Convoy
RouteNew York - Capetown - Lourenço Marques, Mozambique 
Cargo5100 tons of general cargo, including engines and vehicles 
History Laid down as Shetucket, completed in October 1919 as Nobles for US Shipping Board (USSB), Philadelphia. 1928 renamed Exmoor for American Export Lines Inc, New York. 1941 renamed Robin Moor for Seas Shipping Co Inc, New York. 
Notes on loss

At 05.25 hours on 21 May, 1941, the unarmed and neutral Robin Moor (Master Edward W. Myers) was stopped by blinker light by U-69 about 700 miles off the west coast of Africa. After questioning the chief mate that came aboard the U-boat, Metzler told him that he has to sink the ship according to the prize rules and ordered the crew to leave their ship in 30 minutes. The nine officers, 29 crewmen and eight passengers (four men, three women and one child) abandoned ship in four lifeboats. At 09.49 hours, the U-boat fired a stern torpedo that hit in the port side and sank her with 30 rounds from the deck gun. The survivors were provided with rations before the Germans left the area.

The boats stayed together for three days, but one of them became separated. The survivors in three boats were picked up on 2 June by a British merchant and landed at Capetown. The ten crew members and one passenger in the fourth boat were picked up on 8 June by the Ozório in 00°16N/37°37W and landed at Recife, Brazil.

 


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