Ships hit by U-boats


Thistleglen

British Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameThistleglen
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,748 tons
Completed1929 - Sir James Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland 
OwnerAllan, Black & Co, Sunderland 
HomeportSunderland 
Date of attack10 Sep 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-85 (Eberhard Greger)
Position61° 59'N, 39° 46'W - Grid AD 6628
Complement49 (3 dead and 46 survivors).
ConvoySC-42
RouteNew York - Sydney (30 Aug) - Glasgow 
Cargo2400 tons of pig iron and 5200 tons of steel 
History Completed in August 1929 
Notes on event

At 16.42 hours on 10 Sep 1941, U-85 fired a spread of two torpedoes at a ship in convoy SC-42 northeast of Cape Farewell and reported one ship sunk and another probably damaged after observing one hit and hearing a second detonation. However, only Thistleglen (Master Gordon Frederick Dodson), the ship of the vice-commodore, was hit by one torpedo and sank later. Three crew members were lost. The master, 39 crew members and six gunners abandoned ship in three lifeboats and two rafts and were picked up after about one hour by the Lorient, a straggler from the same convoy and landed at Belfast.

 
On boardWe have details of 5 people who were on board


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