Ships hit by U-boats


Zuiderkerk

Dutch Steam merchant



NameZuiderkerk
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage8,424 tons
Completed1922 - New Waterway Shipbuilding Co, Schiedam 
OwnerNV Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Mij, The Hague 
HomeportThe Hague 
Date of attack28 Aug 1942Nationality:      Dutch
 
FateSunk by U-566 (Gerhard Remus)
Position40° 20'N, 16° 02'W - Grid CF 6315
Complement68 (0 dead and 68 survivors).
ConvoySL-119
RouteKarachi - Freetown - Clyde 
Cargo8045 tons of general cargo, including wool, cotton, oilseeds and hides 
History Completed in April 1922 as Zosma for NV Van Nievelt, Goudriaan & Co’s Stoomvaart Mij, Rotterdam. 1931 renamed Zuiderkerk for NV Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Mij, The Hague. 1933 lenghtened. 
Notes on event

At 19.08 hours on 28 August 1942, U-566 fired a spread of three torpedoes at convoy SL-119 west-northwest of Lisbon, heard three detonations and sinking noises and claimed two steamers sunk. The ships hit were Zuiderkerk and City of Cardiff.

The Zuiderkerk (Master Doekele de Boer) was hit by a torpedo in the port bow and stopped to examine the damage. She then managed to regain contact with convoy, but the flooding of the forward holds forced the 56 crew members and twelve passengers to abandon ship in the early morning on 29 August. HMS Erne (U 03) (LtCdr E.D.J. Abbot, RN) then scuttled the ship with depth charges, while HMS Leith (L 36) (LtCdr E.C. Hulton, RN) picked up the survivors.

 
On boardWe have details of 8 people who were on board


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