- S T U
23)SURAT U-103
Photo. www.photoship.co.uk
Built 1939
Tonnage 5,529 / 8,820 tons
Cargo. 2500 tons of pig iron, 5700 tons of peas and rape seed
Sunk 6 MAY 41 by U-103 on pos. 08º 23”N 15º 13”W
4 Dead
61 Survivors
At 05.15 hours on 6 May, 1941, the unescorted Surat (Master Thomas Edward Daniel) was hit by a stern torpedo from U-103 northwest of Freetown. The U-boat had spotted the ship, en route with 13 knots, at 16.03 hours the day before in ET 5644 and only could keep up with her due to her zigzag course that also caused a first torpedo fired at 23.45 hours to miss. The crew apparently noticed the attack and evaded two torpedoes fired at 05.10 hours and a first stern torpedo five minutes later.
The second stern torpedo fired shortly afterwards then hit the stern and stopped the ship, but also a first coup de grâce at 05.26 hours missed. The ship sank immediately after being hit amidships by two coups de grâce at 06.13 and 06.25 hours. Four crew members were lost. The master, 58 crew members and two gunners were picked up by the British hopper barge Foremost 102 and landed at Freetown.
By. Surat (British Motor merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net
