Charles L.D.
British Motor merchant
Photo courtesy of Allan C. Green Collection
| Name | Charles L.D. | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,273 tons | ||
| Completed | 1933 - A/B Götaverken, Gothenburg | ||
| Owner | Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 9 Dec 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-553 (Karl Thurmann) | ||
| Position | 59° 02'N, 30° 45'W - Grid AK 3510 | ||
| Complement | 48 (36 dead and 12 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | HX-217 | ||
| Route | Karachi (8 Sep) - New York (27 Nov) - Glasgow | ||
| Cargo | 6517 tons of general cargo | ||
| History | Completed in January 1934 as French Charles L.D. for Louis Dreyfus & Cie, Dunkirk. In 1940 operated by the Vichy French government as Procyon. On 23 Mar 1941, the Vichy French Charles L.D. was captured by HMNZS Leander (75) (Capt R.H. Bevan, RN) between Mauritius and Madagascar. The ship was brought to Mauritius and taken over by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | At 09.10 hours on 9 Dec 1942 the Charles L.D. (Master Diego Emmanuel Canoz) in convoy HX-217 was torpedoed and sunk by U-553 about 405 miles east of Cape Farewell. 34 crew members and two French gunners were lost. The master and eleven crew members were picked up by the British rescue ship Perth (Master Keith Williamson, OBE) and landed at Clyde on 13 December. | ||
| On board | We have details of 37 people who were on board. | ||
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