Ships hit by U-boats


Aris

Greek Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameAris
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,810 tons
Completed1914 - Richardson, Duck & Co Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees 
OwnerMichael M. Xylas, Piræus 
HomeportPiræus 
Date of attack12 Oct 1939Nationality:      Greek
 
FateSunk by U-37 (Werner Hartmann)
Position53° 28'N, 14° 30'W - Grid AM 7241
Complement29 (2 dead and 27 survivors).
Convoy
RouteTroon - Hampton Roads 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in June 1914 as Pontwen for W.& C.T.Jones SS Co Ltd, Cardiff. 1919 sold to Woolston SS Co Ltd (S. Instone & Co), Cardiff. 1920 renamed Maindy Grange for Maindy Shipping Co Ltd (Jenkins, Richards & Evans Ltd), Cardiff. 1922 sold to Sir David R. Llewellyn Bart. (J. Rattray), Cardiff. 1932 sold to Greece and renamed Mount Pindus for Tramp Shipping Development Co Ltd (Rethymnis & Kulukundis), Syra. 1935 renamed Michalis Poutous for P.M. Poutous, Piræus. 1936 renamed Aris for Michael M. Xylas, Piræus. 
Notes on event

At 18.05 hours on 12 October 1939 U-37 tried to stop the unescorted and neutral Aris about 150 miles west of Achill Head, but she did not stop and used the radio because they had transported war materials to Britain according to the master. The crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats after a round hit the funnel at 18.20 hours. At 19.45 hours, the U-boat fired one G7a torpedo which passed underneath the keel. She was sunk by a second torpedo after shells fired into the waterline did not sink the ship. The U-boat then towed the lifeboats 80 miles towards the coast of Ireland before leaving the area. The survivors were picked up by the Danish motor merchant Sicilien and landed at Stornoway.

 


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