Ships hit by U-boats


William Eustis

American Steam merchant


We don't have a picture of this vessel at this time.


NameWilliam Eustis
Type:Steam merchant (Liberty)
Tonnage7,196 tons
Completed1943 - Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Corp, Houston TX 
OwnerUnited Fruit SS Co, New York 
HomeportHouston 
Date of attack17 Mar 1943Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-435 (Siegfried Strelow)
Position50° 10'N, 35° 02'W - Grid BD 1379
Complement72 (0 dead and 72 survivors).
ConvoyHX-229
RouteCienfuegos, Cuba - New York (8 Mar) - Liverpool 
Cargo7000 tons of sugar and 600 tons of food, including milk, eggs and dried fruit 
History Completed in January 1943 
Notes on event

At 01.22 hours on 17 March 1943 the William Eustis (Master Cecil Desmond) in station #22 of convoy HX-229 was hit on the starboard side by one of two FAT torpedoes from U-435, the other missed by 200 feet. The torpedo struck in the #2 hold, blew of the hatch covers of #2 and #3 holds, flooded the hold and a split became visible on the starboard side 20 feet from the hold to the bridge. The eight officers, 34 crewmen and 30 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) abandoned ship after 30 minutes in one lifeboat and four rafts because heavy weather had damaged four of the boats and another was damaged by the explosion. The survivors were picked up after four hours by HMS Volunteer (D 71) (LtCdr G.J. Luther, RN), which scuttled the wreck by gunfire and depth charges and landed the men at Liverpool on 22 March.

 
On boardWe have details of 68 people who were on board


If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.

Return to Allied Ships hit by U-boats