General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: wreck not found
Posted by:
Vince
()
Date: December 28, 2005 12:56AM
From the Houghton-Mifflin site:
Surcouf
Cruiser-type submarine. L/B/D: 361 × 29.5 × 23 (110m × 9m × 7m). Tons: 3,304/4,318 disp. Hull: steel; 214 dd. Comp.: 130. Arm.: 10 × TT (2 × 8 & 8 × 21); 2 × 8, 2 × 37 mm; 1 floatplane. Mach.: diesel/electric, 7,600/3,800 hp, 1 screw; 19/8 kts. Built: Cherbourg; 1931.
Named for Robert Surcouf, a nineteenth-century French corsair, Surcouf was built as a commerce-raiding submarine. Attached to the 2nd Submarine Flotilla at Brest, the two-decked submarine suffered from an excess of technological innovation. Her 8-inch guns were prone to flooding and her machinery was fickle. Cruising off Africa when World War II began, she was deployed to the Caribbean until recalled to Brest for a refit in October 1939. Following the German invasion of France, Surcouf escaped to Plymouth, England, but with a crew of divided loyalties. On July 3, 1940, the submarine was seized by the Royal Navy and turned over to the Free French Navy. After serving on convoy duty, Surcouf was dispatched to Bermuda in June 1941, but she had to undergo extensive repairs at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New London, Connecticut, from July 28 until November 27. Surcouf took part in the Free French Christmas Eve seizure of St. Pierre et Miquelon. Following further repairs at Bermuda, she was dispatched to Tahiti. Leaving Bermuda on February 12, 1942, en route to the Panama Canal, Surcouf was never seen again. Despite suggestions that she was deliberately sunk by the British or Americans, it is more likely that she was sunk after colliding with the American army transport Thompson Lykes in 10°40N, 79°31W on the night of February 18, or that she was mistakenly sunk by units of the U.S. Army Air Corps flying out of Rio Hato, Panama, on the morning of the 19th.
Rusbridger, Who Sank "Surcouf"?.
Surcouf
Cruiser-type submarine. L/B/D: 361 × 29.5 × 23 (110m × 9m × 7m). Tons: 3,304/4,318 disp. Hull: steel; 214 dd. Comp.: 130. Arm.: 10 × TT (2 × 8 & 8 × 21); 2 × 8, 2 × 37 mm; 1 floatplane. Mach.: diesel/electric, 7,600/3,800 hp, 1 screw; 19/8 kts. Built: Cherbourg; 1931.
Named for Robert Surcouf, a nineteenth-century French corsair, Surcouf was built as a commerce-raiding submarine. Attached to the 2nd Submarine Flotilla at Brest, the two-decked submarine suffered from an excess of technological innovation. Her 8-inch guns were prone to flooding and her machinery was fickle. Cruising off Africa when World War II began, she was deployed to the Caribbean until recalled to Brest for a refit in October 1939. Following the German invasion of France, Surcouf escaped to Plymouth, England, but with a crew of divided loyalties. On July 3, 1940, the submarine was seized by the Royal Navy and turned over to the Free French Navy. After serving on convoy duty, Surcouf was dispatched to Bermuda in June 1941, but she had to undergo extensive repairs at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New London, Connecticut, from July 28 until November 27. Surcouf took part in the Free French Christmas Eve seizure of St. Pierre et Miquelon. Following further repairs at Bermuda, she was dispatched to Tahiti. Leaving Bermuda on February 12, 1942, en route to the Panama Canal, Surcouf was never seen again. Despite suggestions that she was deliberately sunk by the British or Americans, it is more likely that she was sunk after colliding with the American army transport Thompson Lykes in 10°40N, 79°31W on the night of February 18, or that she was mistakenly sunk by units of the U.S. Army Air Corps flying out of Rio Hato, Panama, on the morning of the 19th.
Rusbridger, Who Sank "Surcouf"?.
