Ships hit by U-boats


Garoet

Dutch Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Maritiem Museum, Rotterdam

NameGaroet
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage7,118 tons
Completed1917 - NV Konmij. Scheepsbouw-en Werktuigenfabriek ´De Schelde´, Vlissingen 
OwnerKoninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd NV (W. Ruys & Zonen), Rotterdam 
HomeportRotterdam 
Date of attack19 Jun 1944Nationality:      Dutch
 
FateSunk by U-181 (Kurt Freiwald)
Position12° 30'S, 64° 00'E - Grid LW 7346
Complement99 (89 dead and 10 survivors).
Convoy
RouteBombay - Marmagoa (11 Jun) - Durban 
CargoCoal, sugar and 1000 tons of peanuts 
History Completed in August 1917 
Notes on event

At 19.53 hours on 19 Jun 1944 the unescorted Garoet (Master Pleun de Raadt) was hit on port side in #2 hold and aft by two torpedoes from U-181 while steaming on a non-evasive course at 10 knots in a moonless night about 600 miles northeast of Mauritius. The ship sank within two minutes in moderate seas, too fast for the 46 crew members, 44 Lascars and nine gunners (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 40mm and six 20mm guns) aboard to send distress signals or to launch the lifeboats. Two of the boats were dragged down with the sinking ship and only a few men survived climbing on two rafts that had floated free. The U-boat surfaced five minutes later and questioned the survivors, asking the usual questions about the name, tonnage, cargo and port of destination and left the area after they got no reply when asking for the master, chief officer and chief engineer. Initially the two rafts were lashed together, but after 24 hours it was decided to drift independently and they lost touch. Three Dutch crewmen, one Australian radio officer and one Lascar on one raft were picked up by the British mule transport Nirvana on 30 June and were landed at Durban. At 05.00 hours on 4 July, the five Lascars on the other raft were picked up by the British steam merchant Daldorch in 11°00S/55°50E and were landed at Mauritius on 9 July.

 
On boardWe have details of 99 people who were on board


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