Technical
general cargo/refrigerated cargo vessel
steam - twin screws
7,951 GRT - 10,150 DWT
465' x 58'3" x 29'3"
Service speed 12 knots

U-509 was part of Gruppe Streitaxt (battleaxe), comprising eight U-boats. Convoy SL-125 comprised 40 ships.

The attack seriously damaged the vessel, the ship was abandoned on 28 October at 29 21'N-19 28'W and sank on 30 October. The Master, 59 crew and 11 gunners landed at Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands. They were brought to Gibraltar by the Spanish tanker Campilo. Twenty-five crew landed at Tenerife and were brought to Santa Cruz de la Palma by the Spanish ship Ciudad de Valencia.

The Master was awarded the OBE. In the same convoy U-509 also torpedoed Anglo Maersk, Stentor, Nagpore, Hopecastle, Corinaldo and Brittany.

Thanks to Walter Janssens for extra information on this page.

Unless otherwise stated, all dates and times are from the German perspective and are given in CET.
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