Ships hit by U-boats


Sama

Norwegian Motor merchant



NameSama
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage1,799 tons
Completed1937 - A/B Lindholmens Varv, Gothenburg 
OwnerChristian Gundersen & Co, Oslo 
HomeportOslo 
Date of attack22 Feb 1942Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-155 (Adolf Cornelius Piening)
Position49° 20'N, 38° 15'W - Grid BD 1455
Complement39 (19 dead and 20 survivors).
ConvoyONS-67
RouteCardiff - Belfast Lough (15 Feb) - St. John, New Brunswick 
Cargo1040 tons of china clay 
History Completed in April 1937

On 28 March 1941 the unescorted Sama en route from Liverpool to St. John’s came across the badly damaged British troopship Staffordshire (10,683 grt), which had been bombed that day by German Fw200 aircraft of I./KG 40 in 59°30N/10°18W. She took 234 survivors and four bodies on board and arrived at Stornoway the next day, while the troopship was saved and returned to service. 
Notes on event

At 07.03 hours on 22 February 1942 U-155 fired three torpedoes at convoy ONS-67 south of Cape Farewell and heard three detonations. Piening observed no effects after one detonation, but saw explosions on two other ships. He claimed two ships with 15,000 grt sunk and another with 7000 grt damaged, but in fact only the Adellen and Sama were hit and sunk.

The Sama (Master Ingolf Just) was hit in the stern and sank in a few minutes, taking 15 men with her. 24 survivors clung to rafts and debris because they were not able to launch a lifeboat. Three men drifted off on a small raft and were never seen again. After two hours, the survivors were picked up by USS Nicholson (DD 442), but during the rescue operation one man was crushed to death between a raft and the side of the destroyer.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 39 people who were on board


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