Ships hit by U-boats


Daghild

Norwegian Motor tanker



Photo courtesy of Sjöhistoriska Museet, Stockholm

NameDaghild
Type:Motor tanker
Tonnage9,272 tons
Completed1927 - Burmeister & Wain´s Maskin & Skibsbyggeri A/S, Copenhagen 
OwnerJohn P. Pedersen & Son, Oslo 
HomeportOslo 
Date of attack8 Feb 1943Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-608 (Rolf Struckmeier)
Position55° 25'N, 26° 12'W - Grid AL 5143
Complement39 (0 dead and 39 survivors).
ConvoySC-118 (straggler)
RouteNew York (12 Jan) - St. John’s (30 Jan) - Clyde 
Cargo13,000 tons of diesel and a deck cargo of aircraft, barges and the British landing craft HMS LCT-2335 
History Completed in December 1927

At 06.17 hours on 12 Sep 1942, U-404 (von Bülow) fired single torpedoes at the convoy ON-127 in 49°02N/33°30W and heard detonations after 2 minutes 15 seconds, 2 minutes 56 seconds and 3 minutes 30 seconds and then sinking noises. Bülow claimed three ships sunk, however, only the Daghild (Master Olaf K. Egidius) was hit. She was struck by one torpedo which made a hole of 50 x 54 feet as well as 20 holes on the opposite side, so that it was possible to see through the ship. She reached St. John’s for repairs and proceeded via Sydney and Halifax for degaussing to New York for further repairs. After two months for repairs, she was fitted with an extra deck for carrying aircraft. She was not ready to go out again until January 1943 and it was immediately discovered that she was extremely difficult to maneuver after the new deck had been added. She had the tendency to want to go to the right. However, due to heavy snow, most of the ships in convoy SC-117 were separated and it was decided to take Daghild to St. John’s after having searched for the convoy for a whole day in vain, arriving there on 23 January. She left after a week to join convoy SC-118.

 
Notes on event

At 04.38 hours on 7 Feb 1943 the Daghild in convoy SC-118 was hit by one torpedo from U-402 (Forstner) and abandoned by the crew. At 02.37 hours on 8 February, the wreck of the Daghild was sunk by one coup de grâce from U-608 and with her HMS LCT-2335.

The survivors were picked up from three lifeboats by FFL Lobelia (K 05) the next morning. The corvette later encountered the Greek steam merchant Adamas (4144 grt) in sinking condition after she had been rammed by a destroyer in 56°35N/22°23W, while proceeding in the same convoy. FFL Lobelia picked up eleven men and ordered the remaining men on the ship to stay on board until daylight. But many jumped overboard and died in the cold water. The corvette could only pick up two men and revive them. Not long afterwards they encountered a wreck drifting around upside down (perhaps the Daghild) and was ordered to sink it, but after several attempts they had to stop because her engine was damaged and could only made two knots. FFL Lobelia had now over 100 people on board, a damaged engine and the U-boat danger was ever present. The next morning the Admiralty sent a destroyer to assist, which took the corvette in tow until that evening when the destroyer left to search for a lifeboat occupied with 15 men that had been sighted by an aircraft. The destroyer returned the next morning without having located the lifeboat, but at that time FFL Lobelia was able to do 8 knots on her own and eventually proceed alone as the destroyer had to leave her behind, having about 140 shipwrecked people on board. The corvette arrived safely at Greenock on 12 February.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 39 people who were on board

Attack entries for Daghild

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
12 Sep 1942U-404Kptlt. Otto von BülowDamaged9,272  
7 Feb 1943U-402Kptlt. Siegfried Freiherr von ForstnerDamaged9,272  
8 Feb 1943U-608Kptlt. Rolf StruckmeierSunk9,272  


If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.

Return to Allied Ships hit by U-boats