Ile de Batz
British Steam merchant
Ile de Batz under her former name West Hobomac. US Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH65053-A
| Name | Ile de Batz | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,755 tons | ||
| Completed | 1918 - Skinner & Eddy Corp, Seattle WA | ||
| Owner | Andrew Weir & Co, London | ||
| Homeport | Swansea | ||
| Date of attack | 17 Mar 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-68 (Karl-Friedrich Merten) | ||
| Position | 4° 04'N, 8° 04'W - Grid EU 8511 | ||
| Complement | 43 (4 dead and 39 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Rangoon - Capetown (4 Mar) - Freetown - UK | ||
| Cargo | 6605 tons of general cargo and rice | ||
| History | Completed in August 1918 as West Hobomac for US Shipping Board (USSB) and acquired by the US Navy as cargo transport USS West Hobomac (ID # 3335) for the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, making her maiden voyage with a cargo of coal from Portland, Oregon to Iquique, Chile. The ship loaded nitrates and proceeded via the Panama Canal to New York, arriving in November 1918. She made three transatlantic voyages to Europe until being decommissioned in June 1919 and returned to the US Shipping Board. 1933 sold to Lykes Bros SS Co Inc, New Orleans. In March 1940 transferred to France and renamed Île de Batz for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, Paris. In July 1940 seized at Falmouth by Britain and transferred to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | At 06.35 hours on 17 March 1942 the unescorted Ile de Batz (Master A.J. Watts) was torpedoed and damaged by U-68 28 miles southwest of Cape Palmas. The ship was sunk after 07.51 hours with 33 high explosive rounds of 10.5cm gunfire. Three crew members and one gunner were lost. The master, 34 crew members and four gunners landed at Cape Palmas and were brought to Freetown by HMCS Weyburn (K 173) (T/Lt T.M.W. Golby, RCNR). | ||
| On board | We have details of 5 people who were on board. | ||
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