Post by Administrator on Feb 21, 2024 21:55:50 GMT
VIA: Ships
SS Aracataca(the second of her name) was a refrigerated cargo ship built by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd., Birkenhead for Elder & Fyffes Ltd., Liverpool.
5,378GRT, 3,299NRT, length 400.5 ft, beam 51.4 ft & depth 30.4 ft
Single screw powered by a 54inch stroke triple expansion steam recip. engine built by the yard giving 447NHP & 13.5KTs
Launched 17th July 1924 and completed in March of the following year.
She spent 1939 and upto May 1940 going to and from West Africa, principally Victoria in Nigeria. On June she crossed the Atlantic returningto Liverpool in convoy HX.53 then back across the North Atlantic to return to Liverpool in convoy HX.64 arriving on 23rd August 1940. She then left Liverpool to make her way to Kingston,Jamaica to pick up a cargo of fruit returning to Liverpool indepently and arriving back in Liverpool on 12th October 1940
She left Liverpool one final time on 23rd October 1940 in convoy OB.233 which dispersed at sea, Aracataca making her way down to Port Antonio, Jamaica where she loaded a cargo of 1,600tons of bananas and grapefruits.
She departed Port Antonio on 9th November 1940 to sailback to Liverpool independently. At 00.41 hours on 30th Nov 1940 the unescorted Aracataca (Master Samuel Browne) was hit on the starboard side just ahead of the foremast by one G7e torpedo from U-101 while steaming on a zigzag course at 13 knots about 230 miles west of Rockall. The engines were stopped immediately and as the ship was settling by the head with a list to port the master ordered the crew to abandon ship after distress signals were sent. Despite strong wind, rough sea and heavy swell all four lifeboats were lowered safely, occupied by all 66 crew members, one gunner (the ship was armed with one 4in and one machine gun) and two passengers. The Germans observed how the boats remained nearby and prepared to shell the vessel to prevent them from reboarding her, but the weather was too bad to use the deck gun so another G7e torpedo was fired as a coup de grâce at 01.11 hours. However, the ship remained afloat after being struck underneath the bridge. The U-boat then went alongside the nearest lifeboat and Mengersen asked the master about the name of the ship, but he could not understand the answer due to the strong wind. Afterwards U-101 returned to the Aracataca and fired one G7e torpedo from the stern tube at 02.04 hours. The torpedo hit the engine room and caused the ship to sink fast after a boiler explosion.
The lifeboats initially remained in the vicinity, not knowing that their distress signals had not been heard. They began to set sail independently with the boat in charge of the master being the last to leave after 34 hours. 17 crew members and one passenger were picked up by the British motor merchant Potaro and landed at Buenos Aires on 23rd December. The master, twelve crew members, one gunner and one passenger were picked up by the British steam merchant Djurdjura after having sailed approximately 180 miles in position 56°48N/16°18W on 3rd December and were landed on Christmas Day in St. John, New Brunswick. The remaining two lifeboats were never seen again: 36 crew members were lost.
Both wrecksite.eu and "Shipping company losses of Second World War" state that the crew reboarded their ship and then abandonded her again. Wrecksite.eu saying the lost crew went down with their ship, whilst "Shipping..." says they reabandoned the ship before the third torpedo at 02.04 and does not refer to any losses specifically with the ship. I prefer u.baot.net's version as it is more detailed and more probable.
Above is taken from shippingandshipbuilding.uk and uboat.net with her movements during the war coming from convoyweb.org.uk.
Photos of her come from Photoship
SS Aracataca(the second of her name) was a refrigerated cargo ship built by Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd., Birkenhead for Elder & Fyffes Ltd., Liverpool.
5,378GRT, 3,299NRT, length 400.5 ft, beam 51.4 ft & depth 30.4 ft
Single screw powered by a 54inch stroke triple expansion steam recip. engine built by the yard giving 447NHP & 13.5KTs
Launched 17th July 1924 and completed in March of the following year.
She spent 1939 and upto May 1940 going to and from West Africa, principally Victoria in Nigeria. On June she crossed the Atlantic returningto Liverpool in convoy HX.53 then back across the North Atlantic to return to Liverpool in convoy HX.64 arriving on 23rd August 1940. She then left Liverpool to make her way to Kingston,Jamaica to pick up a cargo of fruit returning to Liverpool indepently and arriving back in Liverpool on 12th October 1940
She left Liverpool one final time on 23rd October 1940 in convoy OB.233 which dispersed at sea, Aracataca making her way down to Port Antonio, Jamaica where she loaded a cargo of 1,600tons of bananas and grapefruits.
She departed Port Antonio on 9th November 1940 to sailback to Liverpool independently. At 00.41 hours on 30th Nov 1940 the unescorted Aracataca (Master Samuel Browne) was hit on the starboard side just ahead of the foremast by one G7e torpedo from U-101 while steaming on a zigzag course at 13 knots about 230 miles west of Rockall. The engines were stopped immediately and as the ship was settling by the head with a list to port the master ordered the crew to abandon ship after distress signals were sent. Despite strong wind, rough sea and heavy swell all four lifeboats were lowered safely, occupied by all 66 crew members, one gunner (the ship was armed with one 4in and one machine gun) and two passengers. The Germans observed how the boats remained nearby and prepared to shell the vessel to prevent them from reboarding her, but the weather was too bad to use the deck gun so another G7e torpedo was fired as a coup de grâce at 01.11 hours. However, the ship remained afloat after being struck underneath the bridge. The U-boat then went alongside the nearest lifeboat and Mengersen asked the master about the name of the ship, but he could not understand the answer due to the strong wind. Afterwards U-101 returned to the Aracataca and fired one G7e torpedo from the stern tube at 02.04 hours. The torpedo hit the engine room and caused the ship to sink fast after a boiler explosion.
The lifeboats initially remained in the vicinity, not knowing that their distress signals had not been heard. They began to set sail independently with the boat in charge of the master being the last to leave after 34 hours. 17 crew members and one passenger were picked up by the British motor merchant Potaro and landed at Buenos Aires on 23rd December. The master, twelve crew members, one gunner and one passenger were picked up by the British steam merchant Djurdjura after having sailed approximately 180 miles in position 56°48N/16°18W on 3rd December and were landed on Christmas Day in St. John, New Brunswick. The remaining two lifeboats were never seen again: 36 crew members were lost.
Both wrecksite.eu and "Shipping company losses of Second World War" state that the crew reboarded their ship and then abandonded her again. Wrecksite.eu saying the lost crew went down with their ship, whilst "Shipping..." says they reabandoned the ship before the third torpedo at 02.04 and does not refer to any losses specifically with the ship. I prefer u.baot.net's version as it is more detailed and more probable.
Above is taken from shippingandshipbuilding.uk and uboat.net with her movements during the war coming from convoyweb.org.uk.
Photos of her come from Photoship
