Ships hit by U-boats


Oltenia II

British Steam tanker



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameOltenia II
Type:Steam tanker
Tonnage6,394 tons
Completed1928 - Sir W.G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne 
OwnerBritish Tanker Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack8 Jan 1943Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-436 (Günther Seibicke)
Position27° 59'N, 28° 50'W - Grid DG 8565
Complement60 (17 dead and 43 survivors).
ConvoyTM-1
RouteTrinidad - Gibraltar 
Cargo9086 tons of Admiralty furnace oil, 732 barrels of lubricating oil and military stores 
History Completed in April 1928 as Romanian Oltenia for Steaua Romana SA Pentru Industria Petroleului, Bucharest. 1941 seized by Britain and renamed Oltenia II by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 
Notes on event

At 22.37 hours on 8 Jan 1943, U-436 fired three single torpedoes at convoy TM-1 southwest of the Canary Islands and hit the Oltenia II twice, which exploded and sank. The third torpedo hit the Albert L. Ellsworth, which fell behind and was shelled and sunk the next day by the same U-boat.

The master, 13 crew members and three gunners from the Oltenia II (Master Arthur Laddle) were lost. 42 crew members and one gunner were picked up by HMS Havelock (H 88) (Cdr R.C. Boyle DSC, RN) and landed at Gibraltar.

 
On boardWe have details of 18 people who were on board


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