Ships hit by U-boats


Hatimura

British Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameHatimura
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage6,690 tons
Completed1918 - J.L. Thompson & Sons Ltd, North Sands, Sunderland 
OwnerBritish India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack4 Nov 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-442 (Hans-Joachim Hesse)
Position55° 28'N, 39° 52'W - Grid AK 4411
Complement90 (4 dead and 86 survivors).
ConvoySC-107 (straggler)
RouteNew York (24 Oct) - Holyhead - Manchester 
Cargo8950 tons of general cargo, including 200 tons TNT, 250 tons gunpowder and 300 tons incendiary bombs 
History Completed in December 1918 as War Opal for Shipping Controller, managed by T. Law & Co. 1919 renamed Hatimura for British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London. 
Notes on event

At 00.15 hours on 4 Nov 1942, U-132 (Vogelsang) 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.
At 03.22 hours, the burning and sinking Hatimura was torpedoed by U-442 behind convoy. The ship blew up and debris fell within a wide radius from the ship. It seems that U-132, which was near the ship probably waiting for her victim to sink or to fire a coup de grĂ¢ce, was struck by debris and immediately sank with all hands.

Three crew members and one gunner from Hatimura (Master Willie Furneaux Putt) were lost. The master, 76 crew members and nine gunners were picked up by the American tugs Pessacus and Uncas, transferred to the British rescue ship Stockport (Master Thomas Ernest Fea OBE) and landed at Reykjavik on 8 November.

 
On boardWe have details of 6 people who were on board

Attack entries for Hatimura

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
4 Nov 1942U-132Kptlt. Ernst VogelsangDamaged6,690  
4 Nov 1942U-442KrvKpt. Hans-Joachim HesseSunk6,690  


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