ST Leukos
Irish commercial trawler / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The ST Leukos was an Irish commercial trawler that was sunk off the north coast of Ireland by a German U-boat on 9 March 1940. The vessel, which had been fishing in the company of British trawlers, was attacked by the German submarine U-38 off Tory Island. The submarine surfaced opening fire with its deck gun. All 11 crew members were lost.
Painting by Kenneth King from the National Maritime Museum | |
History | |
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Ireland | |
Name | ST Leukos |
Owner |
|
Port of registry | Dublin, Ireland |
Builder | John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co. Ltd |
Yard number | 405 |
Fate | Sunk by gunfire from U-38 |
Notes | June 1915: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a boom defence vessel.
1919: Returned to owners. 10 March 1940: Lost by unknown cause NW of Tory Island. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Steel side trawler |
Tonnage | 216 grt 83 net |
Length | 166 feet |
Beam | 21 feet |
Depth | 11 feet |
Installed power | Coal fired, Steam. T.3-Cyl., 55 rhp.; by Charles D. Holmes, Hull. |
Propulsion | single screw |
Sail plan | Ketch rigged |
Crew | 11 |
The reason for the attack has never been proved. As a neutral country, all Irish ships, including the Leukos, were unarmed and clearly marked. Several theories exist. First the Leukos had positioned herself between the fleeing British trawlers in the hope that the U-boat would respect Irish Neutrality. Second that she tried to ram the U-boat. This is the view taken by the Irish Seamen's Relatives Association which holds that the Leukos attempted to ram the U-38 as it threatened the British fishing fleet. They maintain that this selfless bravery should be acknowledged by the British government.[1] Death certificates for the lost crew were not issued until 1986.