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Hello,

At 2210B/10 June 1943, HMS Wishart escorting convoy G.T.X.2 (a mixed convoy from Algiers to five different destination in Malta, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt) reported an unnamed ship torpedoed in 36°58' N, 05°51' E (NE of Djedjelli). The tug Empire Gnome was sent from Bougie to assist but apparently was too late and HMS Wishart was looking for survivors.

This refers to an attack by the Italian submarine Benedetto Brin who fired seven torpedoes within a few minutes at almost exactly this time and position.

The submarine was never credited with a success on this day.

My question: can anyone identify the ship torpedoed (and sunk?) on that night?

Could this just be an error by HMS Wishart? An explosion of a torpedo at the end of its run which made her believe that one of the ships had been torpedoed?

Many thanks.

Platon

Hi Platon,

sorry, no additional data on this incident.

Maybe there is some information from here?
http://vandwdestroyerassociation.org.uk/Research.html

On the page on HMS WISHART (http://vandwdestroyerassociation.org.uk ... index.html) they have the convoy report on G.T.X.3, so maybe more in the background on the no. 2, too.

Regards

Darius

Dear Platon,

Arnold Hague does not list a single casualty for this convoy, so I guess this was a bogus sighting.

The list of ships in the convoy:
BJORKHAUG
EMPIRE COMMERCE II
EMPIRE FLAMINGO
ENSIS
EXPLORER
FORT CONFIDENCE
GOVERT FLINCK
JOHN PAGE
NEURALIA
PANAMA
REGIN
TALAMBA
YOMA

Hope that helps!
Andrzej

Greetings all

There is a correction to the previous entry.
The British ship YOMA was lost on 17 June 1943 in 33 03N 22 04E with heavy loss of life

Good hunting
Phil

Thank you Phil for the correction.
Do you know what was the cause of sinking?

Andrzej

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Yoma#C ... 2_and_loss

https://www.historisches-marinearchiv.d ... value=4864

War diary U 81 speaks of one (strong) explosion and a grey and white cloud, but the target was covered by another ship at the moment of the hit(s).

Hello Andrzej, Darius, Phil and Thorsten,

Many thanks to you all for your input.

Yes, it does seem that the HMS Wishart's story is probably bogus. She probably confused torpedo exploding at the end of their run for a victim. Perhaps if someone can unearth the G.T.X.2 convoy report, the story can be definitively cleared up.

Best regards,

Platon