Hatimura

Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Hatimura | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 6.690 tons | ||
| Completed | 1918 - J.L. Thompson & Sons Ltd, North Sands, Sunderland | ||
| Owner | British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 4 Nov, 1942 | Nationality: | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-442 (Hans-Joachim Hesse) | ||
| Position | 55.28N, 39.52W - Grid AK 4411 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 90 (4 dead and 86 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-107 (straggler) | ||
| Route | New York (24 Oct) - Holyhead - Manchester | ||
| Cargo | 8950 tons of general cargo, including 200 tons TNT, 250 tons gunpowder and 300 tons incendiary bombs | ||
| History | Completed in December 1918 as War Opal for Shipping Controller, managed by T. Law & Co. 1919 renamed Hatimura for British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 00.15 hours on 4 Nov, 1942, U-132 (Vogelsang) attacked the convoy SC-107 about 500 miles southeast of Cape Farewell, sank the Hobbema and Empire Lynx and damaged the Hatimura. The U-boat was lost after this attack when her last victim, the Hatimura, exploded. At 03.22 hours, the burning and sinking Hatimura was torpedoed by U-442 behind the convoy. The ship blew up and debris fell within a wide radius from the ship. It seems that U-132, which was near the ship probably waiting for her victim to sink or to fire a coup de grāce, was struck by debris and immediately sank with all hands. Three crew members and one gunner from Hatimura (Master Willie Furneaux Putt) were lost. The master, 76 crew members and nine gunners were picked up by the American tugs Pessacus and Uncas, transferred to the British rescue ship Stockport (Master Thomas Ernest Fea OBE) and landed at Reykjavik on 8 November. | ||
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