Ships hit by U-boats


Silvermaple

British Motor merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameSilvermaple
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage5,313 tons
Completed1927 - Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland 
OwnerSilver Line Ltd (Stanley & John Thompson Ltd), London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack26 Feb 1944Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-66 (Gerhard Seehausen)
Position4° 44'N, 3° 20'W - Grid EV 7154
Complement64 (7 dead and 57 survivors).
ConvoySTL-12
RouteBathurst (11 Feb) - Freetown - Takoradi 
Cargo5395 tons of general cargo and mail 
History Completed in November 1927

At 15.10 hours on 23 Apr 1943, U-306 (Trotha) fired a spread of four torpedoes at the convoy HX-234 southwest of Iceland and heard two detonations. The Silvermaple en route from Matadi to Liverpool via Halifax with general cargo and military stores was hit in 59°05N/35°40W, but managed to reach her destination on 29 April without casualties among her crew of 55 men and returned to service after being repaired in July 1943.

 
Notes on event

On 26 Feb 1944, U-66 attacked convoy STL-12 about 130 miles west of Takoradi and reported one ship sunk and another damaged. However, the only ship hit and sunk was the Silvermaple (Master William Candlish Brydson). The master, five crew members and one gunner were lost. 47 crew members, nine gunners and one passenger were picked up by HMS Kildwick (Z 06) (Lt P. Pannell) and landed at Takoradi on 27 February.

 
On boardWe have details of 10 people who were on board

Attack entries for Silvermaple

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
23 Apr 1943U-306Kptlt. Claus von TrothaDamaged5,313  
26 Feb 1944U-66Oblt. Gerhard SeehausenSunk5,313  


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