SHIPS SUNK LADDEN WITH PLANES IN THEIR DECKS - PRECIOUS CARGO LOST
2)ALCYONE (MINELAYER DOGGERBANK)
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Photo. www.photoship.co.uk
Built 1921
Tonnage 4,534 / 7,830 tons
Cargo: Military stores consisted, among other things, of 1,600 tons of aircraft bombs and 9 aircraft stored on deck
Route: Hull - Bombay - Karachi.
Sunk 16/03/42 when struck a mine laid by German Minelayer Doggerbank in pos. 33º 59"S 18º 03"E.
0 Dead
62 Survivors
The first ship to fall victim to Doggerbank's mines was the Dutch SS. Alcyone (4534 tons, built in 1921), enroute from Hull to Bombay and Karachi. Her cargo of military stores consisted, among other things, of 1600 tons of aircraft bombs and 9 aircraft stored on deck. Around 0130 in the early morning of March 16 1942, a violent explosion shook the ship and caused a list to starboard. Captain J. Lucas ordered the crew and passengers to make their way to the lifeboats.
No distress signals could be sent due to the malfunction of the equipment, but luckily, all passengers and crewmen made it to the lifeboats safely. The last man to leave the ship was, of course, the captain, who found a large crack in the upper deck near No. 3 hold. As the three lifeboats moved away from the ship, the survivors could clearly see the Alcyone sinking bow first. The time was 01:55, 25 miles west of Capetown.
