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SHIPS HIT BRITAIN 239 * - D E F

10)DOM. DE LARRINAGA (RAIDER PINGUIN)




Photo. www.photoship.co.uk


 


Built 1929


Tonnage: 5,358 /  9,135 tons


Cargo: 7,000 tons of grains


Route: Bahia Blanca - Freetown - Newcastle


Sunk 31 JUL 40 by Raider PINGUIN on pos 05º 26”S 18º 06” W


8 Dead


32 Survivors


On 31 July 300 miles (480 km) north-west of Ascension Island, a ship was sighted. It also spotted the raider and turned away, sending a QQQ signal. Trying to jam the distress signals, Pinguin gave chase. She ran up her battle flag and dropped its camouflage, signaling to the vessel to stop and not to use her wireless or she would be fired upon. When the commands were ignored, warning shots were fired across her bows from her 75 mm gun. Four more warning shots were fired, but she did not stop; the distress signals continued and her crew were seen to be manning their stern-mounted gun.


Pinguin opened fire with her main armament on the freighter's bridge with several hits. The freighter on fire slowed to a halt and her crew were seen to be abandoning ship. The British freighter Domingo de Larrinaga was on her way from Bahía Blanca to Newcastle with 7,000 tons of grain and a crew of 36. A heavily armed boarding party found eight crewmen dead on the ship. The party included Pinguin's surgeon, and two sick bay attendants were sent to care for the wounded. Scuttling charges were placed in the freighter's engine room. The charges failed to explode and she had to be sunk by a torpedo. The survivors were taken aboard Pinguin.



Domingo de Larrinaga seen above after being hit by several shells from raider Pinguin. https://youtu.be/TdB95LvbOOk


 

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