Ships hit by U-boats


Saronikos

Greek Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameSaronikos
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage3,548 tons
Completed1912 - Craig, Taylor & Co Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees 
OwnerMaris A. Embiricos, Athens 
HomeportAndros 
Date of attack7 Dec 1942Nationality:      Greek
 
FateSunk by U-177 (Robert Gysae)
Position24° 46'S, 35° 30'E - Grid KP 6155
Complement33 (31 dead and 2 survivors).
Convoy
RoutePort Said - Aden - Durban 
CargoBallast 
History

Completed in May 1912 as German Luise Horn for H.C. Horn, Lübeck. 1919 taken over by Britain as war reparation by The Shipping Controller (G. Heyn & Sons), London. 1921 renamed Maid of Andros for Byron SS Co (M. Embiricos), London. 1931 sold to Greece and renamed Saronikos for M.A. Embiricos, Andros.

 
Notes on event

At 17.20 hours on 7 Dec 1942 the unescorted Saronikos (Master Alexandros A. Papatheofanous) was hit in the engine room by one of two torpedoes from U-177, broke in two and sank within two minutes in the Mozambique Channel about 55 miles south of Inhambane, Portuguese East Africa. The master, 28 crew members and two gunners (the ship was armed with two 20mm and two machine guns) were lost. The Germans questioned the two surviving crew members on a raft and provided them with bandages and provisions. The survivors made landfall after nine days near Chai Chai about 80 miles from Lourenço Marques and arrived in this harbor in the afternoon on 19 December.

 
On boardWe have details of 33 people who were on board


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