Ships hit by U-boats


Fresno City

British Motor merchant


We don't have a picture of this vessel at this time.


NameFresno City
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage7,261 tons
Completed1942 - William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland 
OwnerSir William Reardon Smith & Sons Ltd, Cardiff 
HomeportCardiff 
Date of attack12 Apr 1943Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-706 (Alexander von Zitzewitz)
Position54° 15'N, 30° 00'W - Grid AK 6485
Complement45 (0 dead and 45 survivors).
ConvoyHX-232 (straggler)
RouteBombay - Cristobal - New York (1 Apr) - Liverpool 
Cargo3000 tons of manganese ore and 5965 tons of general cargo, including mail 
History  
Notes on event

Between 04.38 and 04.46 hours on 12 April 1943, U-563 (von Hartmann) fired torpedoes at convoy HX-232 southeast of Cape Farewell (grid AK 6721) and reported three ships sunk and one damaged. The Pacific Grove and Ulysses were sunk and the Fresno City was damaged.
At 08.42 hours, U-168 (Pich) observed a burning tanker and U-706 reported a burning vessel being sunk by an escort vessel, probably one of the ships hit by U-563.
At 13.40 hours the same day, the straggling Fresno City was finished off by U-706 with a coup de grâce.

The master, 36 crew members and eight gunners from the Fresno City (Master Randolph Alfred Lawson) were picked up by HMS Azalea (K 25) (Lt G.C. Geddes) and landed at Gourock.

 
On boardWe have details of 1 people who were on board

Attack entries for Fresno City

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
12 Apr 1943U-563Kptlt. Götz von HartmannDamaged7,261  
12 Apr 1943U-706Kptlt. Alexander von ZitzewitzSunk7,261  


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