Regent
Latvian Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of Dmitriy A. Sidorov
| Name | Regent | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 3,280 tons | ||
| Completed | 1903 - Bartram & Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland | ||
| Owner | Latvijas Kugniecibas Sabiedriba, Riga | ||
| Homeport | Riga | ||
| Date of attack | 14 Jun 1942 | Nationality:  Latvian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-504 (Hans-Georg Friedrich Poske) | ||
| Position | 17° 50'N, 84° 10'W - Grid EB 1420 | ||
| Complement | 25 (11 dead and 14 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Baltimore - Norfolk - Cristobal | ||
| Cargo | War materials | ||
| History | Completed in January 1903 as British Regent for James Westoll, Sunderland. 1928 sold to Latvia. When Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, she was one of eight ships that did not follow the orders to return home and continued to sail under the Latvian flag. U-boats sank five of these eight ships and damaged a sixth while another one was sunk by an Italian submarine. | ||
| Notes on event | At 19.12 hours on 14 Jun 1942 the unescorted Regent (Master Voldemars Reinsons) was hit by the last two torpedoes from U-504 and sank quickly after capsizing about 200 miles southwest of the Cayman Islands. The master and ten crew members were lost. The U-boat surfaced immediately afterwards to attack another unescorted ship sighted during the hunt with the deck gun, but the American steam tanker Victory Sword had witnessed the sinking, turned away at full speed and sent wireless messages. Poske decided not to attack and left because he was out of torpedoes and the enemy aircraft alerted of his presence in the area. The survivors were picked up by the Honduran steam merchant Altantida and were landed at Burrwood, Louisiana on 27 June. | ||
| On board | We have details of 18 people who were on board. | ||
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