Ships hit by U-boats


Radchurch

British Steam merchant



The Radchurch under her former name Vid. Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameRadchurch
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage3,701 tons
Completed1910 - William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland 
OwnerE.R. Management Co Ltd, Cardiff 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack9 Aug 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-176 (Reiner Dierksen)
Position56° 15'N, 32° 00'W - Grid AK 0240
Complement42 (2 dead and 40 survivors).
ConvoySC-94 (straggler)
RouteWabana, Conception Bay - Sydney (31 Jul) - Barry 
CargoIron ore 
History Built as Istina 1935 sold to Yugoslavia and renamed Vid for Brodarsko Akcionarsko Drustvo Oceania, Susak. In 1941, she was seized by Britain, transferred to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Radchurch
Notes on event

At 06.49 hours on 9 Aug 1942 the Radchurch (Master John Lewin) was hit near the stack by one torpedo from U-176, broke in two and sank within 10 seconds southeast of Cape Farewell. The ship had been in convoy SC-94, but was abandoned undamaged by the crew about 15.30 hours on 8 August after the simultan attacks on convoy by U-176 and U-379 (Kettner) in which five ships were sunk, because they believed that her ship had been torpedoed. Two crew members were lost. The master and 39 crew members were picked up by HMCS Battleford (K 165) (Lt R.J. Roberts) and landed at Greenock.

 
On boardWe have details of 3 people who were on board


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