Ships hit by U-boats


Abbekerk

Dutch Motor merchant



NameAbbekerk
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage7,906 tons
Completed1939 - F. Schichau GmbH, Elbing, Danzig 
OwnerNV Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Mij, The Hague 
HomeportThe Hague 
Date of attack25 Aug 1942Nationality:      Dutch
 
FateSunk by U-604 (Horst Höltring)
Position52° 05'N, 30° 50'W - Grid AK 9458
Complement64 (2 dead and 62 survivors).
Convoy
RoutePort of Spain, Trinidad (15 Aug) - Liverpool 
Cargo9489 tons of sugar, general cargo and mail 
History Completed in February 1939

On 7 Sep 1940, the Abbekerk was bombed and sunk during a German air raid on London. The ship was later raised, repaired and returned to service in March 1941. 
Notes on event

At 13.40 hours on 24 August, the unescorted Abbekerk (Master C. Wijker) was inspected by HNoMS Eglantine (K 197) in 49°45N/33°33W about 15 miles southeast of convoy ONS-122 and was shortly thereafter spotted by U-604 which was searching convoy. The U-boat began to chase the fast and zigzagging ship and only managed to get into a favorable attack position after more than 12 hours, firing a spread of three torpedoes from a distance of 1500 meters at 03.48 hours. One torpedo was probably a dud but another struck on the starboard side amidships and stopped the ship with a slight list to starboard. At 03.56 hours, U-604 fired a coup de grâce that hit astern of the funnel after 54 seconds, causing her to settle fast by the bow and to sink after two boiler explosions at 04.20 hours. All crew members except the first mate and a cook managed to abandon ship in two lifeboats and were not located by the U-boat that searched the sinking position for questioning the survivors. The lifeboats set sail for Ireland and were spotted by HMS Wallflower (K 44) (Lt G.R. Greaves, RNR), escorting convoy ON-124. The corvette picked up the survivors and later distributed them on several ships in convoy, transferring 18 to the Dutch steam merchant Jan van Goyen.

 
On boardWe have details of 54 people who were on board


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