Ships hit by U-boats


Calchas

British Steam merchant



NameCalchas
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage10,305 tons
Completed1921 - Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast 
OwnerAlfred Holt & Co, Liverpool 
HomeportLiverpool 
Date of attack21 Apr 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-107 (Günter Hessler)
Position23° 50'N, 27° 00'W - Grid DT 4249
Complement117 (30 dead and 87 survivors).
Convoy
RouteSydney, NSW - Freetown - Liverpool 
Cargo9000 tons of general cargo, including wheat, butter, flour and steel billets 
History Completed in June 1921 
Notes on event

At 14.20 hours on 21 April 1941 the unescorted Calchas (Master William Richard Fielding Holden) was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-107 about 550 miles north of the Cape Verde Islands. The ship stopped and sank after being hit amidships by a coup de grâce at 14.58 hours. The master, 25 crew members, one gunner and one of the nine passengers were lost. 33 survivors landed at Sal Maria Island, Cape Verde on 4 May. 23 survivors landed at Boavista Island, Cape Verde and 33 survivors landed at St. Louis, Senegal after sailing 650 miles in 16 days in the #5 lifeboat. Two Chinese crew members died of exhaustion after reaching land.

 
On boardWe have details of 39 people who were on board


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