Ships hit by U-boats


Bradford City

British Motor merchant



Photo courtesy of Harold Appleyard

NameBradford City
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage4,953 tons
Completed1936 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough 
OwnerSir William Reardon Smith & Sons Ltd, Cardiff 
HomeportBideford 
Date of attack1 Nov 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-68 (Karl-Friedrich Merten)
Position22° 59'S, 9° 49'E - Grid GH 2638
Complement45 (0 dead and 45 survivors).
Convoy
RoutePort Louis, Mauritius - Capetown - Freetown - UK 
Cargo9500 tons of sugar and rum 
History Completed in June 1936 
Notes on event

At 06.54 hours on 1 Nov 1941 the unescorted Bradford City (Master Henry Paul) was hit by one of three torpedoes from U-68 about 300 miles west of Walvis Bay, South West Africa. Shortly afterwards the submerged U-boat collided slightly with its target because they had problems in keeping the depth and came to the surface only 10 metres from the ship. Luckily for the Germans the crew was already abandoning ship in two lifeboats and did not fire at the U-boat, which immediately dived again and only had a bent bow from this encounter. The ship developed a list to port and sank quickly. The master, 36 crew members and eight gunners were then questioned by the Germans and later made landfall near Walvis Bay and were rescued by South African troops.

 
On boardWe have details of 3 people who were on board


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