Ships hit by U-boats


Lily

Greek Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameLily
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage5,719 tons
Completed1920 - Uchida Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Yokohama 
OwnerCharalambos N. Pateras and C. Michalos, Piræus 
HomeportChios 
Date of attack9 Mar 1942Nationality:      Greek
 
FateSunk by U-587 (Ulrich Borcherdt)
Position43° 32'N, 54° 14'W - Grid BB 9812
Complement32 (3 dead and 29 survivors).
ConvoyON-68 (straggler)
RouteLondon - Belfast Lough (20 Feb) - Halifax 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in April 1920 as Japanese Taikai Maru for Uchida Kisen KK, Kobe. 1920 sold to Czechoslovakia and renamed Legie for Bank of Czechoslovak Legions, Prague. 1933 sold to Greece and renamed Lily for C.N. Pateras and C. Michalos, Piræus. 
Notes on event

At 18.45 hours on 9 March 1942 the unescorted Lily (Master Dimitrios Pateras), a straggler from convoy ON-68, was hit aft on the starboard side by one of two torpedoes from U-587 while steaming on a non-evasive course at 7 knots about 470 miles east of Halifax. Lookouts had spotted the torpedoes but it was too late to take evasive action. The explosion damaged #3 and #4 bulkhead, fell the aft mast and blew beams and derricks overboard. The crew of 32 (the ship was armed with four machine guns) immediately abandoned ship in two lifeboats in high seas without sending distress signals as she was rapidly settling by the stern and sank 6 minutes after being hit. The survivors spotted the U-boat surfacing nearby shortly afterwards, but were not questioned by the Germans. Three crew members died of exposure and were buried at sea before the remaining men were picked up by HMCS Sackville (K 181) (Lt W.R. Kirkland, RCNR) on 13 March.

 
On boardWe have details of 4 people who were on board


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