Ships hit by U-boats


Shuntien

British Steam passenger ship


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NameShuntien
Type:Steam passenger ship
Tonnage3,059 tons
Completed1934 - Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co of Hong Kong Ltd, Hong Kong 
OwnerChina Navigation Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack23 Dec 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-559 (Hans Heidtmann)
Position32° 06'N, 24° 46'E - Grid CO 6788
Complement? men (700 dead and ? survivors).
ConvoyTA-5
RouteTobruk - Alexandria 
CargoGerman and Italian prisoners of war 
History Completed in May 1934 
Notes on event

At 19.02 hours on 23 Dec 1941 the Shuntien (Master William L. Shinn) in convoy TA-5 was torpedoed and sunk by U-559 northeast of Tobruk. The U-boat heard a detonation after a second attack on convoy at 20.13 hours, but a hit is not confirmed from Allied sources. The ship carried 70 crew members, 18 gunners and 850-1100 prisoners of war. The master, 47 crew members and an unknown number of gunners and prisoners were picked up by HMS Salvia (K 97) (LtCdr J.I. Miller, DSO, DSC, RD, RNR) and were all lost when the ship was sunk by U-568 (Preuss) the next day. An unknown number of survivors were picked up by HMS Heythrop (L 85) (LtCdr R.S. Stafford, RN), but approximately 700 men or more were lost.

 
On boardWe have details of 89 people who were on board


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