Soekaboemi
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Soekaboemi | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 7.051 tons | ||
| Completed | 1923 - NV Scheepswerf v/h Bonn & Mees, Rotterdam | ||
| Owner | Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd NV (W. Ruys & Zonen), Rotterdam | ||
| Homeport | Rotterdam | ||
| Date of attack | 27 Dec, 1942 | Nationality:  Dutch | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-441 (Klaus Hartmann) | ||
| Position | 47.25N, 25.20W - Grid BD 66 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 70 (1 dead and 69 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | ONS-154 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Glasgow - Gourock (18 Dec) - Bahia - Bombay | ||
| Cargo | 5000 tons of general cargo | ||
| History | Completed in September 1923 | ||
| Notes on loss | About 02.40 hours on 27 Dec, 1942, the Empire Union and Melrose Abbey in convoy ONS-154 were torpedoed and sunk north-northeast of the Azores. About 03.10 hours, the Soekaboemi and King Edward were also hit. All ships must have been torpedoed by U-356 (Ruppelt), which was herself lost after the attacks. The Soekaboemi (Master H.A. van der Schoor de Boer) was hit on the starboard side in the foreship and settled immediately by the bow. After the 54 crew members, 12 gunners and four passengers abandoned ship in four lifeboats, they could observe how the propellers were visible over the water and that at least one man was still on board, flashing with his pocket light. Shortly thereafter, the British rescue ship Toward (Master Gordon K. Hudson) picked up the occupants of three lifeboats and landed them at Halifax on 9 January. The master first intended to return to his ship to assess the damage, but soon realized that his attempt is futile. At 19.37 hours on 27 December, the wreck of Soekaboemi was sunk by a coup de grāce from U-441 behind the convoy. | ||
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