Bretagne
French Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of Rich Turnwald Collection
| Name | Bretagne | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 10,108 tons | ||
| Completed | 1922 - Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Whiteinch, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, Paris | ||
| Homeport | Le Havre | ||
| Date of attack | 14 Oct 1939 | Nationality:  French | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-45 (Alexander Gelhaar) | ||
| Position | 50° 20'N, 12° 45'W - Grid BE 3366 | ||
| Complement | ? men (7 dead and ? survivors). | ||
| Convoy | KJF-3 | ||
| Route | Cristobal - Kingston, Jamaica - Le Havre | ||
| Cargo | General cargo | ||
| History | Completed in September 1922 as Dutch Flandria for Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyd, Amsterdam. 1936 sold to France and renamed Bretagne for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, Le Havre. | ||
| Notes on event | In the morning on 14 October 1939, U-45 attacked the unescorted convoy KJF-3 about 230 miles southwest of Fastnet and reported the sinking of three big steamers. In fact, two ships, Lochavon and Bretagne were sunk and the British steam merchant Karamea (10350 grt) was missed, because a torpedo detonated prematurely. The U-boat was lost later the same day. The survivors from Bretagne were picked up by HMS Imogen (D 44) (Cdr E.B.K. Stevens, RN) and HMS Ilex (D 61) (LtCdr P.L. Saumarez, RN). | ||
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