SHIPS HIT BRITAIN 239 * - G H I

Built 1918

Tonnage: 5,755 / 8,604 tons

Cargo: 7,000 tons of general cargo including large quantity of bagged rice.

Route: Rangoon - Capetown - Freetown - UK 

Sunk 17 MAR 42 by U-68 on pos. 04º04”N 08º04”W.

4 Dead

39 Survivors.

Built as American West Hobomac for Lykes Bros SS Co Inc, New Orleans. 1940 given to France and renamed Ile de Batz, later that year taken over by Britain and transferred to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 

At 06.35 hours on 17 Mar, 1942, the unescorted Ile de Batz (Master A.J. Watts) was torpedoed and damaged by U-68 28 miles southwest of Cape Palmas. The ship was sunk after 07.51 hours with 33 high explosive rounds of 10.5cm gunfire. Four crew members were lost. The master, 34 crew members and four gunners landed at Cape Palmas and were brought to Freetown by the HMCS Weyburn (K 173) (Lt Thomas M.H. Golby). 

By Ile de Batz (British Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net