Spar
Dutch Steam merchant
Photo Courtesy of arendnet.com
| Name | Spar | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 3,616 tons | ||
| Completed | 1924 - C. van der Giessen & Zonen’s Scheepswerven NV, Krimpen aan den IJssel | ||
| Owner | NV Hudig & Pieters Algemeene Scheepvaart Mij, Rotterdam | ||
| Homeport | Rotterdam | ||
| Date of attack | 5 Aug 1942 | Nationality:  Dutch | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-593 (Gerd Kelbling) | ||
| Position | 53° 05'N, 43° 38'W - Grid AJ 9191 | ||
| Complement | 39 (3 dead and 36 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-94 | ||
| Route | Kingston, Jamaica (25 Jun) - Sydney - London | ||
| Cargo | 4900 tons of general cargo, including sugar, fruit pulp, timber, tobacco and cars | ||
| History | Completed in April 1924 | ||
| Notes on event | At 18.48 hours on 5 Aug 1942, U-593 fired three torpeodes at three ships in a two column convoy and after 30 seconds observed a hit on the ship in station #12 and assumed a hit on the vessel in station #11, because they heard a second detonation after 46 seconds. The ships attacked came from convoy SC-94, which had been separated into several smaller convoys due to fog on 3 August. These ships failed to hear the signals for a course change and regained contact later on 5 August. One torpedo struck the Spar in the engine room and killed three of the four men on watch below. The ship capsized and sank in a short time. The survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats and were picked up by one of the escorting corvettes HMS Nasturtium (K 107) (Lt C.D. Smith, DSC, RNR) or HMCS Orillia (K 119) (T/LtCdr W.E.S. Briggs, DSC, RCNR). | ||
| On board | We have details of 11 people who were on board. | ||
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