Ships hit by U-boats


Bill

Norwegian Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Norsk Maritimt Museum

NameBill
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage2,445 tons
Completed1939 - A/S Moss Værft & Dokk, Moss 
OwnerL. Gill-Johannessen, Oslo 
HomeportOslo 
Date of attack29 Jul 1942Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-155 (Adolf Cornelius Piening)
Position11° 58'N, 55° 02'W - Grid EE 8626
Complement24 (1 dead and 23 survivors).
Convoy
RouteBahia, Brazil (17 Jul) - Ceara (22 Jul) - Trinidad - New York 
CargoGeneral cargo, including cocoa and 500 tons of manganese ore 
History Completed in January 1939

On 10 June 1942 the Bill picked up 31 survivors from L.A. Christensen, which had been sunk by U-129 earlier that day. They were landed on Bermuda two days later. 
Notes on event

At 20.00 hours on 29 July 1942 the unescorted Bill (Master Christian Hartvig Evensen) was hit on the port side amidships in #3 hold by one torpedo from U-155 and sank after eight minutes about 170 miles southeast of Barbados. The Brazilian mess boy was killed. The master was taken prisoner by the U-boat, which then left the area after the survivors in three lifeboats had been given the course for Barbados. He was later taken to a hospital in Rennes where he died of heart trouble on 27 November 1942. The three lifeboats were later separated, but all occupants survived: Seven survivors were picked up by the American steam merchant West Durfee on 1 August, eight others made landfall at Grenada on 3 August and the remaining men landed on St. Vincent.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 24 people who were on board


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