City of Canton
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | City of Canton | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 6.692 tons | ||
| Completed | 1916 - Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend, Sunderland | ||
| Owner | Ellerman Lines Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 17 Jul, 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-178 (Wilhelm Dommes) | ||
| Position | 13.52S, 41.10E - Grid LT 8574 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 103 (8 dead and 95 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Liverpool - Beira (14 Jul) - Mombasa | ||
| Cargo | 2000 tons of general cargo and 4500 tons of coal | ||
| History | Completed in September 1916 | ||
| Notes on loss | At 00.01 hours on 17 Jul, 1943, the unescorted City of Canton (Master Edward Scrymgeour) was hit by one of two G7a torpedoes from U-178 northeast of Beira. The U-boat had chased the ship since 18 hours, almost loosing her in a rain squall and missing with a spread of two G7e torpedoes at 15.26 hours on 16 July. 15 minutes after the hit a first coup de grāce was fired which malfunctioned, but a second hit amidships at 00.31 hours and caused the ship to sink after breaking in two. The Germans questioned the survivors in two lifeboats and took the second officer Reginald Marry Broadbent as prisoner aboard, because the master could not be found. Eight crew members were lost. The master and 74 crew members were picked up by FFL Suffren and landed at Durban. 19 crew members were picked up by the Portuguese steam passenger ship Luabo and landed at Mozambique. | ||
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