The SS Oropesa was a British steam turbine ocean liner of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company (PSNC). She was built on Merseyside in 1920 and operated between Liverpool and South America.
October 3, 1940 Oropesa left Liverpool with Convoy WS 3A, which reached Cape Town, South Africa on 27 October. On October 29 she continued from Cape Town with Convoy WS 3, which reached Suez on November 16.
The Oropesa left Suez on November 30 with Convoy BS 9A, which dispersed off Aden on December 5. On December 12 she left Mombasa, Kenya calling at Beira, Mozambique, on December 19 and Cape Town on Christmas Day.
On January 16, 1941 at 0356 hrs Oropesa was southeast of Rockall in the Western Approaches when the German Type VIIC submarine U-96, commanded by Kptlt Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock, hit her in the stern with one G7a torpedo. Oropesa did not sink immediately, so U-96 waited and at 0440 hrs fired another torpedo, but that malfunctioned and went in circles. U-96 fired again at 0503 and 0559 hrs, this time hitting Oropesa beneath her bridge and amidships. The liner capsized and sank at 0616 hrs.
106 people were killed: the Master, Harry Croft, 98 crew, a DEMS gunner and six passengers. The Royal Navy tugs HMS Superman and HMS Tenacity and W-class anti-submarine destroyer HMS Westcott rescued 109 crew, one DEMS gunner and 33 passengers and landed them at Liverpool.
U-96 had been at the scene for more than two hours but escaped before Westcott could detect her. The next morning the submarine struck in the Western Approaches again, sinking Almeda Star and killing all 360 people aboard.
The Oropesa left Suez on November 30 with Convoy BS 9A, which dispersed off Aden on December 5. On December 12 she left Mombasa, Kenya calling at Beira, Mozambique, on December 19 and Cape Town on Christmas Day.
On January 16, 1941 at 0356 hrs Oropesa was southeast of Rockall in the Western Approaches when the German Type VIIC submarine U-96, commanded by Kptlt Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock, hit her in the stern with one G7a torpedo. Oropesa did not sink immediately, so U-96 waited and at 0440 hrs fired another torpedo, but that malfunctioned and went in circles. U-96 fired again at 0503 and 0559 hrs, this time hitting Oropesa beneath her bridge and amidships. The liner capsized and sank at 0616 hrs.
106 people were killed: the Master, Harry Croft, 98 crew, a DEMS gunner and six passengers. The Royal Navy tugs HMS Superman and HMS Tenacity and W-class anti-submarine destroyer HMS Westcott rescued 109 crew, one DEMS gunner and 33 passengers and landed them at Liverpool.
U-96 had been at the scene for more than two hours but escaped before Westcott could detect her. The next morning the submarine struck in the Western Approaches again, sinking Almeda Star and killing all 360 people aboard.
Click HERE for details of 111 people who were on board.
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