General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: Attack on HG-73, 26th September 1941
Posted by:
Mark McShane
()
Date: May 11, 2009 07:53PM
Rainer,
In answer to your questions,
Your explanation of LAPWING picking up the survivors from CORTES and PETREL would explain why she laid stopped. Did you find this information in the survivors reports of LAPWING and PETREL?
Yes in the survivors reports from LAPWING & PETREL. Captain Klemp of PETREL states that when he and his crew were in the water, they became mixed up with the crew of CORTES. LAPWING then came close by and lowered a boat to pick up survivors. Chief Officer Woodhouse of LAPWING states that CORTES was sunk then followed by PETREL (he says after about 5 minutes but this cannot be right). C/O Woodhouse was in charge of the boat that was lowered to pick up survivors. He says that he was in the water for about 5 hours, which would be right for U-203 making ther attack. Details of these two ships and the attack is also given in the book "Semper Fidelis" which deals with the GSN Co. during the war.
I think it is almost certain that the sinkings attributed to U-124 and U-203 need to be re-assessed for this night.
At the moment I try to find answers to the following questions:
Was AVOCETA hit by one or two torpedoes?
Survivors report from Captain Martin mentions 1 torpedo hit (port side close to the engine room).
Convoy Commodore Creighton book "Convoy Commodore" mentions only one explosion.
Which corvette picked up the survivors of VARANGBERG?
Survivors report from VARANGBERG does not mention the name of the ship, only that it was a corvette. Survivors from AVOCETA were picked up by HMS PERIWINKLE, JASMINE was also in the vicinity looking for survivors, but I can't confirm if they actually picked up anybody. However 3rd mate from
VARANGBERG states that they landed at Milford Haven. Owing to Milford being full when HG-73 entered the Georges Channel swept channel, only those escorts with survivors onboard were allowed enter. The corvettes that entered were PERIWINKLE, JASMINE ans STONECROP. So I would say it is either PERIWINKLE and/or JASMINE that picked up VARAGBERG survivors.
Regards,
Mark
In answer to your questions,
Your explanation of LAPWING picking up the survivors from CORTES and PETREL would explain why she laid stopped. Did you find this information in the survivors reports of LAPWING and PETREL?
Yes in the survivors reports from LAPWING & PETREL. Captain Klemp of PETREL states that when he and his crew were in the water, they became mixed up with the crew of CORTES. LAPWING then came close by and lowered a boat to pick up survivors. Chief Officer Woodhouse of LAPWING states that CORTES was sunk then followed by PETREL (he says after about 5 minutes but this cannot be right). C/O Woodhouse was in charge of the boat that was lowered to pick up survivors. He says that he was in the water for about 5 hours, which would be right for U-203 making ther attack. Details of these two ships and the attack is also given in the book "Semper Fidelis" which deals with the GSN Co. during the war.
I think it is almost certain that the sinkings attributed to U-124 and U-203 need to be re-assessed for this night.
At the moment I try to find answers to the following questions:
Was AVOCETA hit by one or two torpedoes?
Survivors report from Captain Martin mentions 1 torpedo hit (port side close to the engine room).
Convoy Commodore Creighton book "Convoy Commodore" mentions only one explosion.
Which corvette picked up the survivors of VARANGBERG?
Survivors report from VARANGBERG does not mention the name of the ship, only that it was a corvette. Survivors from AVOCETA were picked up by HMS PERIWINKLE, JASMINE was also in the vicinity looking for survivors, but I can't confirm if they actually picked up anybody. However 3rd mate from
VARANGBERG states that they landed at Milford Haven. Owing to Milford being full when HG-73 entered the Georges Channel swept channel, only those escorts with survivors onboard were allowed enter. The corvettes that entered were PERIWINKLE, JASMINE ans STONECROP. So I would say it is either PERIWINKLE and/or JASMINE that picked up VARAGBERG survivors.
Regards,
Mark
