Ships hit by U-boats


Tilia Gorthon

Swedish Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Sjöhistoriska Museet, Stockholm

NameTilia Gorthon
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage1,776 tons
Completed1930 - Fredriksstad Mekaniske Verksted A/S, Fredrikstad 
OwnerJoh. Gorthon, Helsingborg 
HomeportHelsingborg 
Date of attack20 Jun 1940Nationality:      Swedish
 
FateSunk by U-38 (Heinrich Liebe)
Position48° 32'N, 6° 20'W - Grid BF 1991
Complement21 (10 dead and 11 survivors).
Convoy
RouteBahia - Liverpool - Nantes 
CargoCoal 
History Completed in June 1930 for Rederi A/B Activ (Joh. Gorthon), Helsingborg. 
Notes on event

At 03.36 hours on 20 June 1940, U-38 missed the unescorted and neutral Tilia Gorthon (Master J.F. Günther) with a G7a torpedo and then stopped the vessel by gunfire about 45 miles west of the Scilly Islands. At 04.12 hours, she was hit in the engine room by a G7e torpedo after the crew had abandoned ship in two lifeboats and sank. The survivors were picked up by HMS Leith (U 36) (Cdr G.R. Waymouth, RN).

The Tilia Gorthon had been on voyage from Bahia to Gothenburg, but was stopped by a British warship and sent to Liverpool and then to Nantes, but near Loires a new order sent her to Quiberon Bay and finally ordered the ship back to Liverpool. A man from this ship was repatriated on the Atos which was sunk by U-57 (Topp) on 3 August.

 
On boardWe have details of 1 people who were on board


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