Ships hit by U-boats


Bello

Norwegian Motor tanker



Photo courtesy of Norsk Maritimt Museum

NameBello
Type:Motor tanker
Tonnage6,125 tons
Completed1930 - Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend, Sunderland 
OwnerHans H. Torgersen & Co, Tønsberg 
HomeportTønsberg 
Date of attack16 Dec 1942Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-610 (Walter Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen)
Position51° 45'N, 23° 50'W - Grid AL 7837
Complement40 (33 dead and 7 survivors).
ConvoyON-153
RouteGlasgow - New York 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in June 1930 
Notes on event

At 08.36 and 08.38 hours on 16 December 1942, U-610 fired two spreads of two torpedoes at convoy ON-153 and observed two hits on a first tanker that sank burning in 4 minutes and a hit with a column of fire on another tanker. The Bello was sunk and the Regent Lion damaged.

The Bello (Master Trygve Bernt) in station #104 was hit on the starboard side by two torpedoes in the engine room. The ship sank by the stern and sank within a few minutes, leaving no time to launch the lifeboat so the survivors were forced to jump overboard and to swim to three rafts and an overturned boat. After about an hour, the master and six survivors were picked up by HMS Pink (K 137) (Lt R. Atkinson, DSC, RNR) which unsuccessfully searched for more survivors until daylight and then rejoined convoy. 28 Norwegian and five British crew members were lost. The survivors were landed in St. John’s on 29 December.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 40 people who were on board


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