Shipwrecked from “Sud” picked by “Alferrarede”

Alferrarede
(Portugal)

Captain: Armando Lorena
Type: Long range steamer
Tonnage: 1452
Owner: Sociedade Geral de Comércio Indústria e Transportes Lda.

Homeport: Lisboa
Built: Germany, 1905
Event: Found 33 survivors of the ship "Sud" sunk by the combined action of a german and a Italian submarines. 




SUD
(Yugoslavia)

Captain:
Type: Steam Merchant
Tonnage: 2589 
Owner: Brodarsko Akcionarsko Drustvo Oceania

Homeport: Susak
Built: Scotland, 1901
Fate: Sunk by the joint action of the italian subamrine Marconi and U-126. All 33 crew members survived.

The merchant "Alferrarede" encountered, possibly on 14th August 1941, the 33 crew members of the Yugoslav merchant "Sud", that had been sunk the same day by the joint action of an Italian and a German submarine. The shipwrecked were left in Horta, Azores, three days later.

The Sociedade Geral, owner of the “Alferrarede”, later received a thank you letter from the Yugoslav Legation in Lisbon.

The "Alferrarede" had already carried out another rescue operation in July of 1940 when it found 31 survivors of the Dutch steamer "Lucrecia".

 

The sinking of the "Sud"

The "Sud" was part of the HG-70 convoy when a group of Axis submarines detected its passage. The "U-126" was preparing to attack the ship, baut also the Italian "Marconi" was near firing a torpedo that missed the target. Afterwards the italians would shoot more than 20 rounds into it, but were unable to sink it.

The 33 crew were able to leave the ship while the "Sud" continued floating.

The "U-126" would latter find the battered ship and made more 33 cannon shots, but only with a torpedo they were able to sink the freighter.

Resources:

  • Archives/Arquivos: Arquivo Histórico da Marinha (PT); Arquivo Histórico do MNE (PT); 
  • Sites: uboat.net; wreksite.eu;
  • Books & Publications/ Livros & Publicações : Navios da Marinha Portuguesa, datas 1939 a 1945;