World War IIDS Lancing

The floating whale factory DS Lancing was en route from Curacao to New York with 9,000 tons of fuel oil when it was torpedoed on 7 April 1942 by the German U-boat U-552, one nautical mile off the light buoy near Cape Hatteras. The torpedo struck amidships in the engine room, killing a fireman. The rest of the crew, 49 men, split into four lifeboats and stayed near the sinking ship. An hour and a half after the torpedoing, the ship disappeared, and the survivors were brought to Norfolk.

About DS Lancing

  • Nationality

    Flag Norway

  • Built

    1898

  • Wrecked

    07.04.1942

  • Carrier

    Melsom & Melsom, Nanset, Larvik

  • Tonnage

    11900 dvt

Casualties