Italian submarine fates

Ships hit by Italian submarines


Peder Bogen

TypeTanker
CountryBritish British
Built1925GRT9,741

Date of attack24 Mar 1942Time0215-0228
FateSunk by submarine Morosini (C.C. Athos Fraternale)
Position of attack24° 53'N, 57° 30'W
Complement53 (no casualties, 53 survivors)
Convoy
Notes At 1743 hours, the masts of a tanker were discerned over the horizon. It was proceeding northward at about 12 knots. Morosini maneuvered to take a position ahead and submerged at 2038 hours. The submarine's attack periscope was defective and Fraternale had to use the observation periscope.

At 2214 hours, two torpedoes (450mm, W 200 type) were fired from the stern tubes at a distance of 1,000 metres. Both were claimed to have hit after 52 seconds, and this was confirmed by survivors. One hit forward of the bridge and the other forward of the engine room. It was the British tanker Peder Bogen (9741 GRT, built 1925), on passage from Trinidad to Halifax and ultimately for the UK. She was proceeding at 10.5 knots when she was torpedoed. The crew of fifty-two and one passenger abandoned ship in two lifeboats. However, they noticed after almost three hours that the ship was not sinking and decided to return to her.

However, from 0154 to 0203 hours, the submarine began shelling the tanker from about a mile. Her aim appeared to be poor but the firing was enough to discourage the crew from boarding her again. The tanker still refused to sink and gunfire was renewed from 0215 to 0228 hours and this time Peder Bogen disappeared beneath the waves. The submarine had expended 75 100mm rounds to sink her and had no more torpedoes.

Position of attack

Ships hit by Italian submarines