SHIPS HIT BRITAIN 239 * - A B C
65)CORABELLA U-515
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Built 1937
Tonnage: 5,682 / 9,050 tons
Cargo: 8,065 tons of manganese ore
Route: Takoradi - Freetown - UK
Sunk 30 APR 43 by U-515 on pos. 07º 14’N 13º 40’W
9 Dead
39 Survivors
At 22.56 hours on 30 Apr, 1943, U-515 fired two stern torpedoes at the convoy TS-37 about 130 miles southwest of Freetown and observed hits after 58 and 59 seconds. The first ship was seen sinking fast and another broke in two after being hit under the bridge. At 22.57 hours, one torpedo was fired, which struck a freighter amidships after 52 seconds. A fourth torpedo fired one minute later struck another freighter amidships, which exploded. At 22.59 hours, a fifth torpedo was fired and struck after 1 minute a ship, which immediately sank.
A sixth torpedo fired at 23.01 hours hit a freighter after 1 minute 30 seconds, but the sinking could not be observed. Henke claimed five ships of 31.000 tons sunk and another of 6000 tons probably sunk. However, only four ships were hit and sunk, the Corabella, Bandar Shahpour, Nagina and Kota Tjandi.
Nine crew members from the Corabella (Master Peter Leggett) were lost. The master, 30 crew members and eight gunners were picked up by the A/S trawler HMS Birdlip (T 218) (Lt E.N. Groom) and landed at Freetown the next day.
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