Port Auckland
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of Allan C. Green Collection
| Name | Port Auckland | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 8,789 tons | ||
| Completed | 1922 - Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | ||
| Owner | Port Line Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 17 Mar 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-305 (Rudolf Bahr) | ||
| Position | 52° 25'N, 30° 15'W - Grid AK 9529 | ||
| Complement | 118 (8 dead and 110 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-122 | ||
| Route | Brisbane - Cristobal - Halifax (8 Mar) - Belfast Lough - Avonmouth | ||
| Cargo | 7000 tons of frozen produce, 1000 tons of general cargo and mail | ||
| History | Completed in August 1922. On 15 Sep 1940, the Port Auckland was credited with downing a German aircraft during a daylight raid on the London Docks. | ||
| Notes on event | At 23.09 hours on 17 March 1943, U-305 fired a spread of two torpedoes at convoy SC-122 southeast of Cape Farewell and hit the Port Auckland in station #93 in the engine room on the starboard side and Zouave in station #84, which sank within five minutes. A second spread of two torpedoes was fired at 23.10 hours and one of them hit again the Port Auckland, which sank behind convoy after her back was broken by a coup de grâce at 00.41 hours on 18 March. Eight crew members from the Port Auckland (Master Arthur Edward Fishwick) were lost. The master, 87 crew members, 12 gunners and ten passengers (RAF personnel) were picked up by HMS Godetia (K 226) (Lt M.A.F. Larose, RNR) and landed at Gourock. | ||
| On board | We have details of 20 people who were on board. | ||
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