Ships hit by U-boats


Shekatika

British Steam merchant



NameShekatika
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage5,458 tons
Completed1936 - Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee 
OwnerChristian Salvesen & Co, Edinburgh 
HomeportLeith 
Date of attack19 Oct 1940Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-123 (Karl-Heinz Moehle)
Position57° 12'N, 11° 08'W - Grid AM 2946
Complement36 (0 dead and 36 survivors).
ConvoySC-7 (romper)
RouteGaspé, New Brunswick - Sydney (5 Oct) - Hartlepool 
Cargo6000 tons of pit props and 2003 tons of steel 
History Completed in March 1936 
Notes on event

At 20.21 hours on 18 Oct 1940 the Shekatika (Master Robert Paterson), a romper from convoy SC-7, was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-123 about 90 miles east-southeast of Rockall and seven minutes later by a coup de grâce under the bridge, but both hits did not have much effect. When the U-boat surfaced at 20.30 hours, U-99 (Kretschmer) made the same about 300 metres away and Kretschmer was a bit angry because he had chased the same ship but planned his attack a few minutes too late. After the crew had abandoned ship on rafts, U-123 fired a second coup de grâce into the vessel at 20.46 hours and then left the slowly sinking ship.

At 23.17 hours, U-100 (Schepke) fired a coup de grâce into the abandoned Shekatika, but she remained afloat until U-123 found her again at 02.44 hours on 19 October. At 03.17 hours, a fifth torpedo hit the ship amidships, starting a fire in the engine room. The vessel developed a list and the deck cargo of pit props fell overboard before she sank. The master and 35 crew members were picked up by HMS Fowey (L 15) (Lt C.G. de L. Bush, RN) and landed at Grennock on 20 October.

 
On boardWe have details of 1 people who were on board

Attack entries for Shekatika

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
18 Oct 1940U-100Kptlt. Joachim SchepkeDamaged5,458  
19 Oct 1940U-123Kptlt. Karl-Heinz MoehleSunk5,458  


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