Clan Macarthur
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Clan Macarthur | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 10.528 tons | ||
| Completed | 1936 - Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock | ||
| Owner | The Clan Line Steamers Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | Glasgow | ||
| Date of attack | 12 Aug, 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-181 (Wolfgang Lüth) | ||
| Position | 23S, 53.11E - Grid KR 2213 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 130 (53 dead and 77 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | DN-55 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | Glasgow - Durban (5 Aug) - Port Louis, Mauritius | ||
| Cargo | 6346 tons of general cargo, including 5500 tons of military stores, ammunition and mail | ||
| History | Completed in January 1936 | ||
| Notes on loss | At 03.32 hours on 12 Aug, 1943, the Clan Macarthur (Master John Drayton Matthews), dispersed from convoy DN-55, was hit by two G7a torpedoes from U-181 after a hunt of over 15 hours about 350 miles east of Farafangan, Madagascar. The ship sank by the bow eight minutes after being hit by a coup de grâce at 03.47 hours. After the ship sank a heavy underwater detonation slightly damaged the U-boat and swamped several lifeboats. The Germans questioned the survivors before they left the area. 52 crew members and one gunner were lost. The master, 70 crew members and six passengers were picked up by FFL Savorgnan de Brazza and landed at Port Louis. | ||
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