Ships hit by U-boats


Zarian

British Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameZarian
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,871 tons
Completed1938 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough 
OwnerUnited Africa Co Ltd, London 
HomeportFreetown 
Date of attack29 Dec 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-591 (Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche)
Position43° 23'N, 27° 14'W - Grid BD 9887
Complement53 (4 dead and 49 survivors).
ConvoyONS-154 (straggler)
RouteLeith - Loch Ewe (18 Dec) - Takoradi 
Cargo7500 tons of general cargo and goverment stores 
History Completed in February 1938

At 01.18 hours on 1 Jul 1940, U-26 (Scheringer) fired two G7a torpedoes at two ships in convoy OA-175 in 48°03N/11°11W. One of them hit the Zarian in station #14 on the port side aft. The U-boat was sunk a few hours after this attack. The ship was en route in ballast from Portsmouth to Dakar. There were no casualties. She was towed to port by HMS Salvonia (W 43) (Lt G.M.M. Robinson, RNR), repaired and returned to service in June 1941. 
Notes on event

At 23.17 hours on 28 Dec 1942, U-406 (Dieterichs) fired two FAT and three T-3 torpedoes at convoy ONS-154 northwest of the Azores and reported two ships sunk and two ships damaged, but in fact three ships, Baron Cochrane in station #12, Lynton Grange in station #22 and Zarian in station #13 were hit and damaged.

At 00.01 hours on 29 December, the Zarian (Master William Edward Pelissier) was sunk by a coup de grâce from U-591. Four crew members were lost. The master, 37 crew members, seven gunners and four passengers were picked up by HMS Milne (G 14) (Capt I.M.R. Campbell, DSO, RN) and landed at Ponta Delgada, Azores.

 
On boardWe have details of 6 people who were on board

Attack entries for Zarian

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
1 Jul 1940U-26Kptlt. Heinz ScheringerDamaged4,871  
28 Dec 1942U-406Kptlt. Horst DieterichsDamaged4,871  
29 Dec 1942U-591Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen ZetzscheSunk4,871  


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