Ships hit by U-boats


Bruxelles

Belgian Steam merchant



NameBruxelles
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage5,085 tons
Completed1919 - Bartram & Sons Ltd, South Dock, Sunderland 
OwnerArmement Deppe, Antwerp 
HomeportAntwerp 
Date of attack9 Jun 1942Nationality:      Belgian
 
FateSunk by U-502 (Jürgen von Rosenstiel)
Position11° 05'N, 66° 41'W - Grid ED 8499
Complement48 (1 dead and 47 survivors).
ConvoyTO-5
RouteLiverpool - Port of Spain, Trinidad (7 Jun) - Kingston, Jamaica 
Cargo900 tons of general cargo 
History Laid down as War Beagle for The Shipping Controller, completed in April 1919 as British Southern for Cambrian Steam Navigation Co (John Mathias & Sons), Aberystwyth. 1919 sold to Fratres Ltd (Brown, Jenkinson & Co), London. 1922 sold to Belgium and renamed Bruxelles for Cie Transatlantique Belge, Antwerp. 1926 transferred to Armement Deppe SA, Antwerp. 
Notes on event

Between 02.00 and 02.30 hours on 9 June 1942 the submerged U-502 attacked convoy TO-5 from abaft port beam with several torpedoes and sank Bruxelles and Franklin K. Lane about 40 miles north-northeast of La Guiara, Venezuela.

The Bruxelles (Master Jean Florent Van Den Bosch) managed to avoid two torpedoes by turning on port helm after spotting their tracks. They were seen to pass astern while the ship swung to starboard to evade a third, but it was seen too late and the torpedo struck the bulkhead between holds #4 and #5. The explosion blew a hole with a diameter of about seven yards into the side and caused the ship to sink within four minutes. The crew of 42 men and six gunners (the ship was armed with one 4in and seven machine guns) quickly abandoned ship in the lifeboats in a moderate sea. One crew member was lost. The survivors were picked up by HMS Churchill (I 45) (Cdr. P.J. Fitzgerald, RN) after the destroyer had attacked the U-boat with depth charges and rescued three survivors from the other torpedoed ship. They were landed at Curaçao later that day.

 
On boardWe have details of 49 people who were on board


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