New Columbia
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales
| Name | New Columbia | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 6,574 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast | ||
| Owner | Elder Dempster Lines Ltd, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 31 Oct 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-68 (Albert Lauzemis) | ||
| Position | 4° 25'N, 5° 03'E - Grid EW 7199 | ||
| Complement | 84 (0 dead and 84 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Matadi, Belgian Congo - Libreville, French Equatorial Africa (27 Sep) - Lagos | ||
| Cargo | 5500 tons of African produce, including 2500 tons of cotton, 1500 tons of copper, 600 tons of beer, 350 tons of palm oil, 350 tons of copra, 100 tons of kernels, 100 tons of rice and mail | ||
| History | Launched as War Pageant for The Shipping Controller, completed in June 1920 as New Columbia for Elder Dempster Lines Ltd, Liverpool. | ||
| Notes on event | At 21.14 hours on 31 Oct 1943 the unescorted New Columbia (Master Frederick Bradley Kent) was hit in the foreship by one FAT torpedo from U-68 southwest of Bingerville, Ivory Coast. She sank by the bow after being hit in the engine room by a second FAT torpedo at 21.44 hours. The master, 54 crew members, ten gunners and 19 Kroomen were picked up by the British merchant Conakrian and landed at Lagos. Lauzemis thought after he had questioned the crew that he had sunk the Troilus. | ||
| On board | We have details of 2 people who were on board. | ||
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