Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Norseman

British Steam tanker


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NameEmpire Norseman
Type:Steam tanker
Tonnage9,811 tons
Completed1942 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough 
OwnerEagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd, London 
HomeportMiddlesbrough 
Date of attack23 Feb 1943Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-558 (Günther Krech)
Position31° 18'N, 27° 20'W - Grid DG 5389
Complement53 (0 dead and 53 survivors).
ConvoyUC-1 (straggler)
RouteGreenock - Curaçao 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in June 1942 for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) 
Notes on event

At 22.14 hours on 23 Feb 1943, U-382 (Juli) fired one FAT torpedo and one minute later a spread of two G7e torpedoes at convoy UC-1 south of the Azores. Juli thought that he sank two ships, but only one of these torpedoes struck the Empire Norseman on the starboard side and the tanker stopped.
Between 22.17 and 22.20 hours on 23 February, U-202 (Poser) fired four torpedoes at convoy UC-1 and reported hits on three ships. The first and second hit the Murena and British Fortitude, which both continued, the third torpedo failed and the last hit the already damaged Empire Norseman on her port side. At 23.45 hours on 23 February, the drifting wreck of the Empire Norseman was sunk by a coup de grâce from U-558.

The master, 41 crew members and eleven gunners from the Empire Norseman (Master William Sharp Smith) were picked up by HMS Totland (Y 88) (LtCdr L.E. Woodhouse, RN), transferred to the Dutch steam merchant Maaskerk and landed at Trinidad.

 
On boardWe have details of 2 people who were on board

Attack entries for Empire Norseman

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
23 Feb 1943U-382Kptlt. Herbert JuliDamaged9,811  
23 Feb 1943U-202Kptlt. Günter PoserDamaged9,811  
23 Feb 1943U-558Kptlt. Günther KrechSunk9,811  


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