- DUTCH SHIPS LOST/DAMAGED/CAPTURED

12)GAASTERKERK U-68

Photo. RDM-113 (rdm-archief.nl)

Built 1931

Tonnage 8,679 / 10,090 tons

Cargo: Ballast

Route: Alexandria - Aden (23 Sep) - Capetown - New York 

Sunk 08 OCT 42 by U-68 in pos 34º 20’S 18º 10’E

0 Dead

64 Survivors.

Completed in October 1922 as Gaasterdijk for NV Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Mij, Rotterdam. 1931 renamed Gaasterkerk for NV Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Mij, The Hague. 1932 lenghtened.

At 03.46 hours on 8 Oct 1942 the unescorted Gaasterkerk (Master Francois Maas) was hit on the port side aft of amidships in the engine room by one of two torpedoes from U-68 while steaming with dimmed navigational lights set on a non-evasive course at 14 knots about 15 miles west of the Cape of Good Hope. The crew sent distress signals and immediately abandoned ship in the lifeboats. At 04.16 hours, a coup de grâce was fired as she only settled slowly and the torpedo hit aft, igniting the magazine for the stern gun (the ship was armed with one 4.7in, two 20mm and four machine guns).

The resulting explosion completely blew off the stern and caused the Gaasterkerk to sink rapidly. The U-boat had to retreat without questioning the survivors when debris from the explosion fell all around it and some even hit its deck. All survivors were picked up shortly afterwards by HMAS NIZAM G-38 (Cdr M.J. Clark, DSO, RAN) and landed in Capetown.

By Gaasterkerk (Dutch Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net

FOLLOWING PAGES ON THE SAME ARTICLE

11)DELFSHAVEN U-573

13)KERTOSONO (RAIDER THOR)*

14)KOTA TJANDI U-515

15)MANDALIKA U-105*