Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Housman

British Motor merchant


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NameEmpire Housman
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage7,359 tons
Completed1943 - Wm. Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland 
OwnerDodd, Thomson & Co Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack3 Jan 1944Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-744 (Heinz Blischke)
Position60° 50'N, 22° 07'W - Grid AE 7877
Complement46 (1 dead and 45 survivors).
ConvoyON-217 (straggler)
RouteTyne - Loch Ewe (24 Dec) - New York 
CargoBallast 
History Built for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) 
Notes on event

On 30 Dec 1943, U-545 (Mannesmann) fired four torpedoes at convoy ON-217 in 60°30N/24°35W and heard four detonations. Mannesmann claimed hits on four ships and observed one ship sinking on 1 January. However, the only ship hit was Empire Housman (Master David John Lewis), which did not sink after this attack.

At 03.55 hours on 3 Jan 1944 the Empire Housman, now straggling from convoy, was hit by two torpedoes from U-744 and foundered two days later. One crew member was lost. The master, 37 crew members and seven gunners were picked up by HMS Elm (T 105) (Lt K.A. Grant) and HMS Earner (W 143) and landed at Reykjavik.

 
On boardWe have details of 2 people who were on board

Attack entries for Empire Housman

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
30 Dec 1943U-545Gert MannesmannDamaged7,359  
3 Jan 1944U-744Oblt. Heinz BlischkeSunk7,359  


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