Surat
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Surat | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5.529 tons | ||
| Completed | 1939 - A. Stephen & Sons Ltd, Linthouse, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | P. & O. Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 6 May, 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-103 (Viktor Schütze) | ||
| Position | 08.23N, 15.13W - Grid ET 2954 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 65 (4 dead and 61 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Karachi - Capetown - UK | ||
| Cargo | 2500 tons of pig iron, 5700 tons of peas and rape seed | ||
| History | Completed in December 1938 | ||
| Notes on loss | At 05.15 hours on 6 May, 1941, the unescorted Surat (Master Thomas Edward Daniel) was hit by a stern torpedo from U-103 northwest of Freetown. The U-boat had spotted the ship, en route with 13 knots, at 16.03 hours the day before in ET 5644 and only could keep up with her due to her zigzag course that also caused a first torpedo fired at 23.45 hours to miss. The crew apparently noticed the attack and evaded two torpedoes fired at 05.10 hours and a first stern torpedo five minutes later. The second stern torpedo fired shortly afterwards then hit the stern and stopped the ship, but also a first coup de grāce at 05.26 hours missed. The ship sank immediately after being hit amidships by two coups de grāce at 06.13 and 06.25 hours. Four crew members were lost. The master, 58 crew members and two gunners were picked up by the British hopper barge Foremost 102 and landed at Freetown. | ||
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