Ships hit by U-boats


Robin Moor

American Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News VA

NameRobin Moor
Type:Steam merchant (Hog Island)
Tonnage4,999 tons
Completed1919 - American International Shipbuilding Corp, Hog Island PA 
OwnerSeas Shipping Co Inc, New York 
HomeportNew York 
Date of attack21 May 1941Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-69 (Jost Metzler)
Position6° 10'N, 25° 40'W - Grid ES 4670
Complement46 (0 dead and 46 survivors).
Convoy
RouteNew York (6 May) - Capetown - Lourenço Marques, Mozambique 
Cargo5100 tons of general cargo, including tin plate, steel rails, refrigerators, automobiles, trucks and tractors 
History Laid down as Shetucket, completed in October 1919 as Nobles for US Shipping Board (USSB), Philadelphia. 1928 renamed Exmoor for American Export Lines Inc, New York. 1941 renamed Robin Moor for Seas Shipping Co Inc, New York. 
Notes on event

At 05.25 hours on 21 May 1941 the unescorted, unarmed and neutral Robin Moor (Master Edward W. Myers) was ordered to stop with a Morse lamp by U-69 about 750 miles west of Freetown. After questioning the chief mate that came aboard the U-boat, Metzler told him that he has to sink the ship in accordance with the prize rules and ordered the crew to leave their ship in 30 minutes. The nine officers, 29 crewmen and eight passengers (four men, three women and one child) abandoned ship in four lifeboats and the boat with the master then came alongside U-69. However, the cargo manifest shown to Metzler only confirmed his view that the ship was carrying contraband. The Germans gave four tins of bread, two tins of butter, some cognac and bandages to the lifeboats and then submerged. At 10.05 hours, the U-boat fired one G7e torpedo from the stern torpedo tube that hit Robin Moor on port side amidships, but surfaced again 40 minutes later because the ship only settled slowly and began shelling her with the deck gun, firing 39 rounds and causing the ship to sink by the stern after 17 minutes. The wooden crates carried as deck cargo floated free and were sunk with gunfire from the anti-aircraft guns.

The lifeboats initially remained together, but one of them became separated after three days. The occupants of three boats were picked up after sailing about 600 miles in 13 days by the City of Wellington and landed at Capetown on 18 June. The ten crew members and one passenger in the boat in charge of the third officer were rescued by Ozório on 9 June in position 00°46N/37°37W and two days later landed at Recife, Brazil.

 
On boardWe have details of 46 people who were on board


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