Ships hit by U-boats


Devis

British Motor merchant



Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson Collection

NameDevis
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage6,054 tons
Completed1938 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast 
OwnerLamport & Holt Ltd, Liverpool 
HomeportLiverpool 
Date of attack5 Jul 1943Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-593 (Gerd Kelbling)
Position37° 01'N, 4° 10'E - Grid CH 9544
Complement342 (52 dead and 290 survivors).
ConvoyKMS-18B
RouteClyde (24 Jun) - Sicily 
Cargo289 troops, 4000 tons of government stores and a deck cargo of two landing craft 
History Completed in February 1938. During the war specially modified as an Assault Command Ship. 
Notes on event

At 15.43 hours on 5 July 1943, U-593 fired two spreads of two torpedoes at convoy KMS-18B northeast of Cape Bengut and heard a hit after 1 minute 20 seconds and sinking noises. The torpedo hit and sank the Devis (Master Walter Denson), the ship of convoy commodore (Rear Admiral H.T. England, RN) in station #41. She had 289 Canadian troops and two British landing craft on board for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. 52 soldiers were lost. HMS LCM-1123 sank with the ship, while HMS LCM-1129 floated off slightly damaged and was salvaged by its crew. The master, convoy commodore, six naval staff members, 24 crew members, 21 gunners and 237 soldiers were picked up by HMS Cleveland (L 46) (Lt J.K. Hamilton, RN) and landed at Bougie.

 
On boardWe have details of 13 people who were on board


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