Photographic Print, Ship at port “Manchester Citizen”
Archival item
Accession Number:
2002.25.32Date
circa 1940Description
Photographic print, ship at port “Manchester Citizen”.British Steam merchant,
Name: Manchester Citizen
Type: Steam merchant
Tonnage 5,343 tons
Completed1925 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough
Owner Manchester Liners Ltd (Furness, Withy & Co Ltd), Manchester
Home port Manchester
Date of attack 9 Jul 1943 Nationality: British
Fate Sunk by U-508 (Georg Staats)
Position 5° 50'N, 2° 22'E - Grid EV 6729
Complement 104 (29 dead and 75 survivors).
Convoy ST-71
Route Freetown (3 Jul) - Lagos
Cargo Ballast
History Completed in August 1925
Notes on event At 02.43 hours on 9 July 1943, U-508 attacked convoy ST-71 60 miles southwest of Lagos in the Gulf of Benin and torpedoed the De la Salle and Manchester Citizen. The ships were sunk by coups de grâce at 04.25 and 04.52 hours.
Twelve members, two gunners and 14 Krooboys from the Manchester Citizen (Master George Stanley Swales) were lost. The master, 44 crew members, eight gunners and 23 Krooboys were picked up by FFL Commandant Detroyat (K 183) and landed at Lagos, but one gunner had died of injuries shortly after being rescued.