Clan MacArthur (3)

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
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

Screws

164066

Greenock Dockyard

Greenock

NE Marine Engineering

Wallsend

2 x Steam 3 Cyl

1552 NHP

Master	Date	Left	Destination
J D Matthews	7/1943	Glasgow	Mauritius

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