Ships hit by U-boats


Arlyn

American Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of SSHSA Collection, University of Baltimore Library

NameArlyn
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage3,304 tons
Completed1919 - Pusey & Jones Co, Gloucester NJ 
OwnerA.H. Bull & Co Inc, New York 
HomeportNew York 
Date of attack28 Aug 1942Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-517 (Paul Hartwig)
Position51° 53'N, 55° 48'W - Grid AH 9589
Complement54 (12 dead and 42 survivors).
ConvoySG-6 (straggler)
RouteNew York - Hudson Bay, Canada 
Cargo3000 tons of general cargo, including gas, trucks and explosives 
History Completed in March 1919 as Castle Wood for US Shipping Board (USSB). 1925 renamed Arlyn for A.H. Bull SS Co Inc, New York. 
Notes on event

At 02.32 hours on 28 Aug 1942, U-165 (Hoffmann) fired a spread of four and a spread of two torpedoes at convoy SG-6 at the north end of Belle Isle Strait in position 51°44N/55°40W, heard three detonations and claimed two ships with 10.000 grt sunk and one ship of 5000 grt damaged. In fact, the fleet oiler USS Laramie (AO 16) and the Arlyn were damaged.

The Arlyn (Master Eyolf Wennesland) was struck by one torpedo on the port side amidships in the engine room. The explosion destroyed the boilers and immediately stopped the engines. The ship settled by the stern but then leveled off and remained afloat with her decks awash. Some of the eight officers, 26 men and one passenger, panicked, jumped overboard and swam to two rafts. The remaining men launched a single lifeboat. The 14 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and four 20mm guns) manned the guns until the last moment, but they never had a target and jumped overboard and swam to the boat. Three officers and nine men died in the attack. The most of the survivors were picked up by the Panamanian steam merchant Harjurand and landed at Sydney. Five men rowed the ten miles to the Newfoundland shore, where they were picked up and taken to Sydney.

At 08.44 hours on the same day, U-517 sank the abandoned Arlyn with a coup de grâce.

 
On boardWe have details of 14 people who were on board

Attack entries for Arlyn

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
28 Aug 1942U-165KrvKpt. Eberhard HoffmannDamaged3,304  
28 Aug 1942U-517Kptlt. Paul HartwigSunk3,304  


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