Clan MacArthur (3)

GYPG

Date of attack

12 Aug 1943  

Fate

Sunk by U-181 (Wolfgang Lüth)

Position 23S, 53.11E - Grid KR 2213

Complement

130 (53 dead and 77 survivors).

Convoy

DN-55 (dispersed)

Route

Glasgow - Durban (5 Aug) - Port Louis, Mauritius


Torpedoed and Sunk in The Indian Ocean - 1943

Clan MacArthur

Left Glasgow

For Mauritius via Durban

Lost 12 August 1943

Fate

Master

J D Matthews

Survived

Third Officer

A Mair

Survived

Cadet

W L Lindsay

Survived

Radio Officer

R F Cole

Survived

Second Radio Officer

J I Rees

Lost

Surgeon

E Unger

Lost

Chief Engineer

C S Currie

Lost

Seventh Engineer

W E Hicks

Lost

Chief Frig Engineer

J M Ruthven

Survived

Purser

R Y Taylor

Lost

Cargo

6346 tons of general cargo, including 5500 tons of military stores, ammunition and mail

Notes on loss  

At 03.32 hours on 12 Aug, 1943, the Clan Macarthur (Master John Drayton Matthews), dispersed from convoy DN-55, was hit by two G7a torpedoes from U-181 after a hunt of over 15 hours about 350 miles east of Farafangan, Madagascar.

The ship sank by the bow eight minutes after being hit by a coup de grâce at 03.47 hours.

After the ship sank a heavy underwater detonation slightly damaged the U-boat and swamped several lifeboats.

The Germans questioned the survivors before they left the area. 52 crew members and one gunner were lost.

The master, 70 crew members and six passengers were picked up by FFL Savorgnan de Brazza and landed at Port Louis.

Vessel

Built

Service

Tonnage

Clan MacArthur (3)

1936

1943 Torpedoed and sunk East of Madagascar

10528

Official Number

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

HP

Screws

164066

Greenock Dockyard

Greenock

NE Marine Engineering

Wallsend

2 x Triple Expansion Steam

1552 NHP

2

Master

Date

Left

Destination

J D Matthews

7/1943

Glasgow

Mauritius

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