Ships hit by U-boats


Port Hunter

British Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Allan C. Green Collection

NamePort Hunter
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage8,826 tons
Completed1922 - R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co Ltd, Hebburn-on-Tyne 
OwnerPort Line Ltd, London 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack12 Jul 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-582 (Werner Schulte)
Position31° 15'N, 23° 50'W - Grid DG 6397
Complement91 (88 dead and 3 survivors).
ConvoyOS-33 (dispersed)
RouteLiverpool (1 Jul) - Durban - Auckland 
CargoGeneral cargo, including ammunition and depth charges and a motor launch as deck cargo 
History Completed in October 1922 
Notes on event

At 01.47 hours on 12 July 1942 the Port Hunter (Master John Bentham Bradley), dispersed from convoy OS-33 at 11.00 hours on 11 July, was struck on the port side in #2 hold by one of two torpedoes from U-582 about 370 miles west-southwest of Madeira. The ship had been missed by a first spread of two torpedoes at 01.15 hours. The torpedo ignited the cargo of ammunition and the vessel disappeared after several heavy detonations, which were seen as flashes at the horizon by other ships of the dispersed convoy. A lot of debris was blown into the air and hailed down on the nearby U-boat, forcing it to dive immediately. In the meantime, the ship listed heavily to port and sank within two minutes. The motor launch HMNZS ML-1090 was lost with the vessel. When the U-boat surfaced again after 20 minutes, only burning fuel oil and wreckage were spotted at the sinking position. At daylight, the Germans examined U-582 and discovered that the net deflector had been torn away when hit by a side plate of the steamer, which was found on deck together with parts of guns and ammunition and an anchor chain hanging over both sides. The falling debris had ruptured the deck at several places and opened leaks in a fuel tank, causing a trail of oil for a while.

The master, 68 crew members, 14 gunners and five passengers were lost. Three crew members sleeping on deck had been blown into the water and clung to wreckage of the motor launch until they were picked up at about 08.30 hours by HMS Rother (K 224) (Cdr R.V.E. Case, DSC and Bar, RD, RNR) after being spotted by the British steam merchant City of Windsor from the same convoy.

 
On boardWe have details of 89 people who were on board


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