Ships hit by U-boats


Clea

British Motor tanker



NameClea
Type:Motor tanker
Tonnage7,987 tons
Completed1938 - NV Rotterdamsche Droogdok Mij, Rotterdam 
OwnerAnglo-Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack13 Feb 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-96 (Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock)
Position60° 25'N, 17° 10'W - Grid AE 8774
Complement59 (59 dead - no survivors)
ConvoyHX-106 (straggler)
RouteCuraƧao - Loch Ewe - Scapa Flow 
CargoAdmiralty fuel oil 
History Completed in May 1938 for NV Petroleum Mij "La Corona", The Hague. 1939 transferred to Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd, London. 
Notes on event

At 15.08 hours on 13 February 1941 the unescorted Clea (Master Leonard Walter George Boyt), a straggler from convoy HX-106, was hit on port side amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-96 about 190 miles south of Iceland. The tanker immediately caught fire and completely broke in two. The U-boat surfaced and sank both halves with a total of 83 rounds from the deck gun, the after part sank at 16.59 hours and the fore part sank at 17.31 hours after further holes were fired into the side with the anti-aircraft gun. The Germans had observed how the crew abandoned ship in four lifeboats after the torpedo hit, but no survivors were ever found. The master, 56 crew members and two gunners were lost.

 
On boardWe have details of 59 people who were on board


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