Oropesa
British Steam passenger ship
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Oropesa | ||
| Type: | Steam passenger ship | ||
| Tonnage | 14,118 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
| Owner | Pacific Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 16 Jan 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-96 (Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock) | ||
| Position | 56° 28'N, 12° 00'W - Grid AM 0185 | ||
| Complement | 249 (106 dead and 143 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Mombasa (12 Dec) - Beira (19 Dec) - Capetown (25 Dec) - UK | ||
| Cargo | 8252 tons of general cargo, including copper and maize | ||
| History | Completed in August 1920 The Oropesa was requisitioned in September 1939 as troopship. On 3 Dec 1939, she was en route in convoy HXF-11 and damaged in a collision with the British steam merchant Manchester Regiment (5989 GRT) about 70 miles from Halifax. The latter vessel was taken in tow but foundered the same day with nine casualties among her crew of 72. The survivors were picked up by Oropesa and taken to Halifax. | ||
| Notes on event | At 03.56 hours on 16 Jan 1941 the unescorted Oropesa (Master Harry E.H. Croft) was hit in the stern by one G7a torpedo from U-96 southeast of Rockall. A first coup de grâce fired at 04.40 hours became a cirle runner, but the two others fired at 05.03 and 05.59 hours hit underneath the bridge and amidships and caused her to capsize and sink at 06.16 hours. The master, 98 crew members, one gunner and six passengers were lost. 109 crew members, one gunner and 33 passengers were picked up by HMS Superman (W 89), HMS Tenacity (W 18) and HMS Westcott (D 47) (LtCdr W.F.R. Segrave, RN) and landed at Liverpool. | ||
| On board | We have details of 111 people who were on board. | ||
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