Ships hit by U-boats


Charles L.D.

British Motor merchant



Photo courtesy of Allan C. Green Collection

NameCharles L.D.
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage5,273 tons
Completed1933 - A/B Götaverken, Gothenburg 
OwnerUnion-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack9 Dec 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-553 (Karl Thurmann)
Position59° 02'N, 30° 45'W - Grid AK 3510
Complement48 (36 dead and 12 survivors).
ConvoyHX-217
RouteKarachi (8 Sep) - New York (27 Nov) - Glasgow 
Cargo6517 tons of general cargo 
History Completed in January 1934 as French Charles L.D. for Louis Dreyfus & Cie, Dunkirk. In 1940 operated by the Vichy French government as Procyon. On 23 Mar 1941, the Vichy French Charles L.D. was captured by HMNZS Leander (75) (Capt R.H. Bevan, RN) between Mauritius and Madagascar. The ship was brought to Mauritius and taken over by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 
Notes on event

At 09.10 hours on 9 Dec 1942 the Charles L.D. (Master Diego Emmanuel Canoz) in convoy HX-217 was torpedoed and sunk by U-553 about 405 miles east of Cape Farewell. 34 crew members and two French gunners were lost. The master and eleven crew members were picked up by the British rescue ship Perth (Master Keith Williamson, OBE) and landed at Clyde on 13 December.

 
On boardWe have details of 37 people who were on board


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