Ekatontarchos Dracoulis
Ekatontarchos Dracoulis under her former name Coniscliffe. Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttg
| Name | Ekatontarchos Dracoulis | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,329 tons | ||
| Completed | 1918 - Richardson, Duck & Co Ltd, Stockton-on-Tees | ||
| Owner | Heirs of George A. Dracoulis, Athens | ||
| Homeport | Ithaka | ||
| Date of attack | 20 Jan 1940 | Nationality:  Greek | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-44 (Ludwig Mathes) | ||
| Position | 40.20N, 10.07W - Grid CG 1963 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | ? men (6 dead and ? survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Rosario - Tyne | ||
| Cargo | 7511 tons of wheat and general cargo | ||
| History | Laid down as British steam tanker War Flier, completed November 1918 as War Anglian for Anglo-Mexican Petroleum Co, London. 1920 sold to France, renamed Olympe for Soc. Les Affreteurs Réunis, Rouen and converted to steam merchant. 1923 sold to Britain and renamed Dayton for Dayton SS Co, Newcastle. 1927 renamed Coniscliffe for Care & Marquand Shipping Co Ltd, Newcastle. 1932 sold to Greece and renamed Ekatontarchos Dracoulis for Heirs of George A. Dracoulis, Athens. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 04.15 hours on 20 Jan, 1940, the unescorted Ekatontarchos Dracoulis was hit by a stern torpedo from U-44 west of Portugal. The U-boat had chased the ship since 20.05 hours the day before and at 00.21 hours fired a G7e torpedo that detonated prematurely. The commander observed how the crew abandoned ship and decided not to fire another torpedo due to the lifeboats still being so close to the vessel. The U-boat then left the area because the ship was apparently in a sinking condition. | ||
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