Ships hit by U-boats


HMS Galatea (71)

British Light cruiser



NameHMS Galatea (71)
Type:Light cruiser (Arethusa)
Tonnage5,220 tons
Completed1935 - Scott´s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Greenock 
OwnerThe Admiralty 
Homeport 
Date of attack15 Dec 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-557 (Ottokar Arnold Paulssen)
Position31° 17'N, 29° 13'E
Complement614 officers and men (470 dead and 144 survivors).
Convoy
RouteCentral Mediterranean - Alexandria 
Cargo 
History HMS Galatea (71) was completed in August 1935 
Notes on event

On 15 Dec 1941 HMS Galatea (71) (Capt E.W.B. Sim, RN) was sunk by U-557 with three torpedoes about 35 miles west of Alexandria, as the cruiser was returning to this harbour with the cruiser force of the Mediterranean Fleet after a hunt for an Italian convoy to Libya. The commander, 22 officers and 447 ratings were lost. 144 survivors were picked up by HMS Griffin (H 31) (Capt H.St.L. Nicholson, DSO, RN) and HMS Hotspur (H 01) (Lt T.D. Herrick, DSC, RN).

At 19.55 hours on 14 Dec 1941 the Italian submarine Dagabur (Torri) had fired torpedoes at the same cruiser force in 34°01N/26°02E and heard two detonations after 1 minute 45 seconds. It is not clear whether HMS Galatea (71) had been damaged by the Italian submarine before she was sunk by the U-boat.

 
On boardWe have details of 474 people who were on board


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Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)

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