Ships hit by U-boats


Suriname

Dutch Steam merchant



Suriname under her former name Este. Photo from City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 447-2197

NameSuriname
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage7,915 tons
Completed1930 - Deschimag Werk Weser, Bremen 
OwnerKoninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Mij NV, Amsterdam 
HomeportAmsterdam 
Date of attack13 Sep 1942Nationality:      Dutch
 
FateSunk by U-558 (Günther Krech)
Position12° 07'N, 63° 32'W - Grid ED 8375
Complement82 (13 dead and 69 survivors).
ConvoyTAG-5
RouteMombasa - Trinidad - New York 
Cargo7440 tons of general cargo, including 2500 tons of copper and sugar 
History Completed in August 1930 as Este for Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen. On 10 May 1940, seized at Curaçao by Netherlands and renamed Suriname
Notes on event

At 06.22 and 06.23 hours on 13 Sep 1942, U-558 fired three torpedoes at ships in convoy TAG-5 and observed hits on three ships after 1 minute 50 seconds, 1 minute 59 seconds and 2 minutes 40 seconds, but made no visual confirmation due to operations of the escorts. In fact, two ships had been hit, the Suriname and Empire Lugard.

The Suriname (Master W.J.L. Heis) was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side aft and fell behind convoy while the crew abandoned ship. At 06.38 hours, the U-boat fired a coup de grâce from 1800 meters at Suriname, which was hit amidships, capsized and sank by the bow in seven minutes. Unfortunately the second torpedo hit just under a lifeboat that was being lowered and the explosion killed the twelve occupants instantly. The master and 68 survivors were picked up by an American escort, which had been directed to them by an aircraft and landed at Willemstad the next day.

 
On boardWe have details of 82 people who were on board


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