Hopecastle
British Motor merchant
| Name | Hopecastle | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,178 tons | ||
| Completed | 1937 - Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend, Sunderland | ||
| Owner | Stott, Mann & Fleming Ltd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne | ||
| Homeport | Newcastle | ||
| Date of attack | 29 Oct 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-203 (Hermann Kottmann) | ||
| Position | 31° 39'N, 19° 35'W - Grid DH 5142 | ||
| Complement | 45 (1 dead and 44 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SL-125 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Cochin - Freetown (16 Oct) - Mersey | ||
| Cargo | 2500 tons of magnesite and ilmenite (black ore of titanium) and 3000 tons of general cargo, including tea | ||
| History | Completed in May 1937 | ||
| Notes on event | Between 22.00 and 22.09 hours on 28 October 1942 U-509 (Witte) fired five torpedoes at convoy SL-125 northwest of the Canary Islands in position 31°39N/19°23W and heard two detonations on unintended targets within convoy and then observed two hits on two ships. Another torpedo fired at 22.10 hours missed. In fact, the Nagpore was sunk and the Hopecastle damaged. At 04.52 and 04.58 hours on 29 October, the abandoned Hopecastle (Master Dugald McGilp) was hit by one torpedo from U-203, but the ship stayed afloat and had to be sunk by 20mm gunfire at 10.10 hours. One crew member was lost when Hopecastle was abandoned. The master, 30 crew members and 13 gunners were picked up by Tasmania, which was herself torpedoed two days later. The master, one crew member and two gunners were lost in the second sinking. 20 survivors were picked up by the British steam merchant Mano and landed at Greenock on 9 November. 19 survivors landed at Funchal. | ||
| On board | We have details of 7 people who were on board. | ||
Attack entries for Hopecastle
| Date | U-boat | Commander | Loss type | Tons | Nat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Oct 1942 | U-509 | Oblt. Werner Witte | Damaged | 5,178 | |
| 29 Oct 1942 | U-203 | Oblt. Hermann Kottmann | Sunk | 5,178 | |
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