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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SS Loreto, formerly Astrée, was a 1,069 GRT cargo steamship that was built in England in 1912 for French owners and bought in 1933 by Italian owners who renamed her Loreto. In 1942 a Royal Navy submarine sank her in the Tyrrhenian Sea, killing 130 British Indian Army prisoners of war who were aboard.
History | |
---|---|
France, Italy | |
Name |
|
Owner |
|
Operator |
|
Port of registry | |
Builder | Sunderland Shipbuilding Co, Sunderland |
Yard number | 268 |
Launched | 25 January 1912 |
Completed | 1912 |
Identification |
|
Fate | Sunk, 13 October 1942 |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage | |
Length | 223.0 ft (68.0 m) |
Beam | 33.0 ft (10.1 m) |
Depth | 13.8 ft (4.2 m) |
Installed power | 127 NHP |
Propulsion | 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine; single screw |
Speed | 11 knots (20 km/h) |
The Sunderland Shipbuilding Company of Sunderland, County Durham built the ship in 1912 as Astrée for G Lamy et Compagnie of Caen, France. She was managed for G Lamy by the Société Navale Caennaise. In 1933 Italian owners bought her, renamed her Loreto and appointed Lauro Lines to manage her.[1] She passed through at least two individual owners[2][3][4] until by 1937 Lauro Lines itself owned the ship.[5]
The ship had a three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine built by the North Eastern Marine Engineering Company of Newcastle.[3] It developed 127 NHP, drove a single screw[3] and gave the ship a speed of 11 knots (20 km/h).[1]
On 9 October the UK Government Code and Cypher School intercepted an enemy signal about Loreto and transmitted an Ultra warning:
"Loreto will sail from Tripoli at 9.00 a.m. of the 9th, speed 7 knots, and should arrive to Naples at 07.30 a.m. of the 13th. It will transport 350 POWs."[6]
On 13 October 1942 Loreto was in the Tyrrhenian Sea about 8 nautical miles (15 km) west of Capo Gallo, near Palermo, Sicily.[1] At 1732 hrs the British U-class submarine HMS Unruffled torpedoed and sank her, killing 130 British Indian Army POWs who were on the cargo ship.[6] Unruffled may not have received the signal, or she may not have identified Loreto before firing.
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