Ships hit by U-boats


Sembilangan

Dutch Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of arendnet.com

NameSembilangan
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,990 tons
Completed1923 - Deutsche Werft AG, Betrieb Finkenwärder, Hamburg 
OwnerNV Stoomvaart Mij ´Nederland´, Amsterdam 
HomeportBatavia 
Date of attack13 Mar 1943Nationality:      Dutch
 
FateSunk by U-107 (Harald Gelhaus)
Position42° 45'N, 13° 31'W - Grid CG 1218
Complement87 (86 dead and 1 survivor).
ConvoyOS-44
RouteLiverpool (6 Mar) - Belfast Lough - Walvis Bay - Saldanha Bay - Port Said - Alexandria 
Cargo6457 tons of general cargo and military stores, including ammunition 
History Completed in March 1923 as German Wasgenwald for Hamburg-Amerika Linie (HAPAG), Hamburg. On 10 May 1940, seized by the Netherlands at Sabang and renamed Sembilangan
Notes on event

At 05.30 hours on 13 March 1943, U-107 attacked convoy OS-44 190 miles west of Cape Finisterre and reported hits on three ships. In fact, four ships were hit, the Clan Alpine, Marcella, Oporto and Sembilangan.

The Sembilangan (Master Pieter Maarten Leguit) in station #92 was hit by one torpedo that ignited the cargo of ammunition and the ship disintegrated. The fourth engineer was blown overboard, rescued himself on a raft from Oporto and was picked up by HMS Spiraea (K 08) (Lt A.H. Pierce, OBE, RNR) as the only survivor. The master, 75 crew members and ten British gunners were lost.

 
On boardWe have details of 87 people who were on board


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

Return to Allied Ships hit by U-boats