Ships hit by U-boats


Ia

Greek Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameIa
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,860 tons
Completed1917 - Short Bros Ltd, Pallion, Sunderland 
OwnerManuel Hadjilias & Co Ltd, Syra 
HomeportSyra 
Date of attack12 Jul 1940Nationality:      Greek
 
FateSunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer)
Position51° 00'N, 14° 00'W - Grid BE 3247
Complement30 (3 dead and 27 survivors).
Convoy
RouteRosario - St. Vincent (30 Jun) - Cork 
Cargo6666 tons of wheat and 750 bags of pollards 
History Completed in February 1917 as British Adra for English & American Shipping Co Ltd (C.T. Bowring & Co), London. 1933 sold to Greece and renamed Ia
Notes on event

At 02.06 hours on 12 July 1940 the unescorted and unarmed Ia was hit aft of amidships by one G7a torpedo from U-99 about 200 miles west-southwest of Cape Clear. The U-boat had spotted the Greek national markings and attacked without warning as the ship was in the blockade area around Britain. The vessel sank within 7 minutes after being hit by one G7e torpedo fired as coup de grĂ¢ce at 02.48 hours. One officer and two crewmen were lost. The master and 26 crew members had abandoned ship in two lifeboats after the first hit and were questioned by the Germans. The boats reached the Isles of Scilly after five days and were landed at Penzance on 17 July.

 


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