Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Caribou

British Steam merchant


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NameEmpire Caribou
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,861 tons
Completed1919 - Downey Shipbuilding Corp, Arlington NY 
OwnerSir William Reardon Smith & Sons Ltd, Cardiff 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack10 May 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-556 (Herbert Wohlfarth)
Position59° 28'N, 35° 44'W - Grid AK 1390
Complement45 (34 dead and 11 survivors).
ConvoyOB-318 (dispersed)
RouteLondon - Loch Ewe - Boston, Massachusetts 
Cargo2020 tons of chalk 
History Completed in November 1919 as Waterbury for US Shipping Board (USSB). 1921 renamed Northern Star for American Star Line Inc, New York. 1923 renamed Defacto for American Sugar Transit Corp, New York.
On 18 Mar 1940 given to Britain and renamed Empire Caribou by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 
Notes on event

At 07.52 hours on 10 May 1941 the Empire Caribou (Master Bernard Edwin Duffield), dispersed from convoy OB-318, was torpedoed and sunk by U-556 about 465 miles southwest of Reykjanes. The master, 31 crew members and two gunners were lost. Nine crew members and two gunners were picked up by HMS Malcolm (D 19) (Cdr C.D. Howard-Johnston, DSC, RN), landed at Reykjavik and brought to Greenock by HMS Scimitar (H 21) (Lt R.D. Franks, OBE, RN).

 
On boardWe have details of 30 people who were on board


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