# November 1942 Sinking



## KeMac (Feb 14, 2009)

Is there anywhere I can try and find out about a vessel on its way from the UK to Egypt which was sunk (I am assuming by enemy action) in November 1942. I am not sure if the vessel was going directly to Egypt but it certainly would have been going to the med. It was carrying two aircraft for the Egyptian Airline and I am trying to find the vessel's name and the date it was sunk.
Many Thanks
Kemac


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## Baltic Wal (Jun 27, 2005)

Need more information, November 1942 was Operation Torch, invasion of North Africa, 12 cargo ships were lost in the Western Mediterranean and none in the Eastern Mediterranean. Unlikely that there would have been a through cargo ship at that period, more likely have gone around the cape, particularly as aircraft for Egyptian Airline would have taken vwery low priority.


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## KeMac (Feb 14, 2009)

Baltic Wal said:


> Need more information, November 1942 was Operation Torch, invasion of North Africa, 12 cargo ships were lost in the Western Mediterranean and none in the Eastern Mediterranean. Unlikely that there would have been a through cargo ship at that period, more likely have gone around the cape, particularly as aircraft for Egyptian Airline would have taken vwery low priority.


Thanks for that Baltic Wal. I am researching the history of the Egyptian Airline which was started by a British Company Airwork. I found some cables from the US Legation in Cairo to Washington asking if they could replace the 2aircraft which had been on a vessel sunk in November 1942. Unfortunately that is all I have, I didn't realise Operation Torch was at the same time so as you say it may have gone around the Cape or been scheduled to go around the Cape. Do you think I could get a list of all vessels sunk in November 1942
from England down to the Cape or is that not possible?
I have to say this is all a bit new to me.
Many Thanks
KeMac


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## clevewyn (May 16, 2010)

U Boat Net has a list of sinkings but this is only U Boat action and not any other.

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/losses_year.html?qdate=1942-11&string=November+1942

Nothing listed from the UK but a couple from the US might fit.

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2451.html

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2401.html


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## treeve (Nov 15, 2005)

Best Site to visit regarding any loss of a ship over WWII
Year by year losses, all navies, all merchant, etc ....
http://www.schiffswrackliste.de/Statistik.htm


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## KeMac (Feb 14, 2009)

Many thanks for all the replies. I had no idea so many vessels sank in November 1942, I had thought maybe a dozen or so but there were 123 sinkings by U-Boats alone! I have been informed that there is a file in the PRO which may provide details of the ship so I will head up to Kew for a look and report back on my findings otherwise it really is a needle in a haystack.
Many Thanks to all again
KeMac


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## DAVIDJM (Sep 17, 2005)

I wonder if this will help, 
They are the only two I have found so far in the OS convoys going to the middle east that were sunk, but i will keep looking 

OS12	29/11/1941	THORNLIEBANK	1939	5569
OS12	30/11/1941	ASHBY (Br)	1927	4,868


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## KeMac (Feb 14, 2009)

David - Many thanks - really I need to go back to the aircraft (two DH89s) and try and find out which port they went from otherwise I am still in the dark about the ship. I was also wondering if copies of the manifests are kept anywhere? I have carried out research on cargoes taken out of Clydeside as the records are held at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow but I was wondering if there is anything similar elsewhere.
As a matter of interest Airwork were partly owned by Furness Withy at one point in the 1950s.


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## clevewyn (May 16, 2010)

DAVIDJM said:


> I wonder if this will help,
> They are the only two I have found so far in the OS convoys going to the middle east that were sunk, but i will keep looking
> 
> OS12 29/11/1941 THORNLIEBANK 1939 5569
> OS12 30/11/1941 ASHBY (Br) 1927 4,868


Both of these fell victim to U43

Thorliebank on route to the Middle east, cargo, General cargo and munitions, which could mean just about anything.

Ashby on the other hand headed for Sierra Leone, Cargo, Ballast, so I guess she is out.

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1208.html

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1209.html


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