Ships hit by U-boats


Limbourg

Belgian Motor merchant



Photo courtesy of Belgian ships archive vzw

NameLimbourg
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage2,483 tons
Completed1938 - John Cockerill SA, Hoboken, Antwerp 
OwnerArmement Deppe, Antwerp 
HomeportAntwerp 
Date of attack29 Mar 1941Nationality:      Belgian
 
FateSunk by U-48 (Herbert Schultze)
Position61° 18'N, 22° 05'W - Grid AE 7844
Complement24 (22 dead and 2 survivors).
ConvoyHX-115
RouteCuraƧao (6 Mar) - Bermuda (13 Mar) - Halifax (17 Mar) - Aberdeen 
Cargo3450 tons of phosphate 
History Completed in October 1938 
Notes on event

At 06.55 hours on 29 March 1941 the Limbourg (Master Louis Spiessens) in station #23 of convoy HX-115 was hit on the starboard side amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-48 and sank within one minute with a heavy list to starboard about 170 miles south of Reykjavik, Iceland. She sank so fast that only two crew members survived: one of the stewards was thrown overboard by the explosion and the able seaman Polydore Paeye rescued himself on a raft which had been damaged when struck by one half of the destroyed starboard lifeboat. Paeye had seen the U-boat astern about 30 minutes before the attack, so close that it cut the log line but the 4in gun on the stern was not manned (the ship was also armed with two machine guns). At about 13.00 hours, the survivors were picked up by HMS Kingcup (K 33) (Lt R.A.D. Cambridge, RNR).

 
On boardWe have details of 24 people who were on board


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