City of Melbourne
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | City of Melbourne | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 6,630 tons | ||
| Completed | 1919 - J.L. Thompson & Sons Ltd, North Sands, Sunderland | ||
| Owner | Ellerman Lines Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 13 May 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-156 (Werner Hartenstein) | ||
| Position | 15° 00'N, 54° 40'W - Grid EE 3797 | ||
| Complement | 87 (1 dead and 86 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Beira - Capetown (23 Apr) - New York | ||
| Cargo | 4000 tons of general cargo | ||
| History | Laid down as War Ruby for The Shipping Controller, completed in June 1919 as City Of Melbourne for Ellerman Lines Ltd, London. | ||
| Notes on event | At 22.05 hours on 13 May 1942 the unescorted City of Melbourne (Master Harry George Thorne Booth) was hit underneath the bridge by one G7e torpedo from U-156 west of Barbados. After one hour, the U-boat surfaced and fired 24 rounds from the deck gun into the foreship, which broke off and sank. The afterpart sank at 00.26 hours on 14 May, after being hit by 5 rounds. One crew member was lost. The master, 75 crew members and ten gunners landed at Barbados. | ||
| On board | We have details of 87 people who were on board. | ||
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