Ships hit by U-boats


Cornish City

British Motor merchant



Photo courtesy of Harold Appleyard

NameCornish City
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage4,952 tons
Completed1936 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough 
OwnerSir William Reardon Smith & Sons Ltd, Cardiff 
HomeportBideford 
Date of attack29 Jul 1943Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-177 (Robert Gysae)
Position27° 20'S, 52° 10'E - Grid KR 5726
Complement43 (37 dead and 6 survivors).
ConvoyDN-53 (dispersed)
RouteLourenço Marques - Durban (22 Jul) - Aden - Suez 
Cargo9600 tons of coal 
History Completed in November 1936 
Notes on event

At 09.00 hours on 29 July 1943 the Cornish City (Master Henry Thomas Isaac), dispersed from convoy DN-53, was hit amidships by one of two torpedoes from U-177 and sank within one minute southeast of Madagascar. The master, 31 crew members and five gunners were lost. Five crew members and one gunner rescued themselves on rafts, were questioned by the Germans and later picked up by HMAS Nizam (G 38) (Cdr C.H. Brooks, RAN) and landed at Port Louis, Mauritius.

 
On boardWe have details of 38 people who were on board


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