Hobbema
Dutch Steam merchant
| Name | Hobbema | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,507 tons | ||
| Completed | 1918 - Skinner & Eddy Corp, Seattle WA | ||
| Owner | NV Gebr. van Uden’s Scheepvaart en Agentur Mij, Rotterdam | ||
| Homeport | The Hague | ||
| Date of attack | 4 Nov 1942 | Nationality:  Dutch | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-132 (Ernst Vogelsang) | ||
| Position | 55° 30'N, 40° 00'W - Grid AJ 63 | ||
| Complement | 44 (28 dead and 16 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-107 | ||
| Route | Newport News - New York (23 Oct) - Belfast Lough | ||
| Cargo | 7000 tons of general cargo and ammunition | ||
| History | Completed in May 1918 as West Lianga for US Shipping Board (USSB) and in August 1918 acquired by the US Navy as cargo transport USS West Lianga (ID # 2758) for the Naval Overseas Transportation Service. The ship made four trips to France, the first two before the Armistice and was then decommissioned in June 1919 and returned to the US Shipping Board. 1929 renamed Helen Whittier for Los Angeles SS Co, Los Angeles CA. 1935 sold to Matson SS Co, Los Angeles CA. 1938 renamed Kalani for Matson Navigation Co, San Francisco CA. 1940 transferred to Britain, renamed Empire Cheetah by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and transferred to Sir R. Ropner & Co Ltd, London. On 18 May 1942 transferred to the Dutch government and renamed Hobbema by the Netherlands Shipping & Trading Committee, London. | ||
| Notes on event | At 00.15 hours on 4 November 1942 U-132 attacked convoy SC-107 about 500 miles southeast of Cape Farewell, sank the Hobbema and Empire Lynx and damaged the Hatimura. The U-boat was lost after this attack when her last victim, the Hatimura, exploded. The Hobbema (Master Arie van Duijn) in station #81 was struck by one torpedo on the starboard side in the engine room, putting all engines and generators out of action so all lights went out immediately. The crew of 37 men and seven British gunners (the ship armed with one 4in, two 20mm and two machine guns) began to abandon ship in the port lifeboats and some rafts in moderate weather as those on starboard had been destroyed, but the ship started to settle fast and sank. The master, 24 crew members and three gunners were lost. The survivors were later picked up by the American tugs USS Uncas (YT 242) and USS Pessacus (YT 192). | ||
| On board | We have details of 44 people who were on board. | ||
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