Ships hit by U-boats


Oropos

Greek Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameOropos
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,474 tons
Completed1913 - Rickmers Reismühlen, Rhederei & Schiffsbau AG, Geestemünde 
OwnerMaris A. Embiricos, Athens 
HomeportAndros 
Date of attack18 Dec 1942Nationality:      Greek
 
FateSunk by U-621 (Max Kruschka)
Position51° 00'N, 37° 00'W - Grid BD 3288
Complement34 (34 dead - no survivors)
ConvoyON-152 (straggler)
RouteLondon (2 Dec) - Loch Ewe (9 Dec) - Halifax 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in July 1913 as German Madeleine Rickmers for Rickmers Line, Hamburg. 1917 renamed Minna Horn for H.C. Horn, Lübeck. 1919 taken over by Britain as war reparation by The Shipping Controller. 1921 renamed Maid of Sparta for Byron SS Co (M. Embiricos), London. 1928 sold to Greece and renamed Oropos for M.A. Embiricos, Andros. 
Notes on event

At 02.26 hours on 18 Dec 1942, U-621 fired a spread of three torpedoes at an unescorted freighter of 5000 grt and heard a dull hit and a detonation after 2 minutes 30 seconds. Later they observed dark smoke and noticed a smell of burning. The ship sunk in this attack was probably the Oropos, which was reported missing after straggling from station #82 in convoy ON-152.

 
On boardWe have details of 15 people who were on board


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