Searching for WWII information on the merchant ship SS CITY OF BATH & U-508

[300te]

Hi

i am looking for any information on the above vessels please?

My Uncle, was the engineering officer on the City of Bath and survived being torpedoed by U-508 (Staats) and several days in an open life boat. He went on to survive the war in the merchant Navy. 

I have my uncles account of the sinking and aftermath (he took charge of the lifeboat) along with his meeting with the crew of U-508. 

Informatiin is hard to find and any help would be appreciated and valued. 

I know that 508 and her crew did not survive the war and have read some info on her sinking. 

 

Best regards

Bruce

PS:  I am happy to share what I have learned. 

[peter monahan]

Many many years ago I did a very little research on U-boots, as my late father-in-law was torpedoed by one off Dover in the first weeks of the war.  At that time, the Toronto Public Library [Canada] reference section had a series of records which included the log books and eventual fate of many/all German uboots. 

I have no recollection 3 decades later how they were catalogued but I recall being impressed that the info. was available and in English [I think].  What I found included map references for the sinkings done by the Uboot I was investigating and a summary of her career.

I wonder if a large library in the UK might have a similar source?  I hope this is some small help.

Peter

[300te]

Peter

 

thank you for taking time to read and respond.

 

uboat.net has the coordinates and some details of the the sinking and aftermath. This pretty much matched my uncles recollection(s). 

What I really would like to find (if possible) are pictures of both the u-boat (u-508) her crew and my uncles ship -SS CITY OF BATH, along with any documentation on either. 

Obviously any information on my Uncle (Charles Reid Gibson) would be welcomed with open arms. 

 

Thank you again

Bruce

[peter monahan]

Again, dredging deep in an aging memory, but I believe one of the bigger maritime museums - perhaps the National MAritime Museum? - has a collection of images of ships and shipping.  May be worth an email to their 'Research and Collections' address: https://www.rmg.co.uk/research-collections

For the Uboot, perhaps post something in the modern German section of this group.  We have a number of members in Germany who are both knowledgeable and helpful.

Peter

[stiletto]

City of Bath

Ellerman Lines, Built in 1926 by W. Gray & Co. 7129 tons, 392.2 x 52.2 x 28.2

Triple expansion engines

The British steamship City of Bath was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine on December 2nd, 1942, on a voyage from Mombassa to Trinadad. Six of her crew were killed.

 

Andy

[Gordon Craig]

300te,

It is very possible that you have seen this info before but I will post it anyway.

Regards,

Gordon

https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2485.html 

and a thread from the GMIC that includes information on one of the crew men of U508 when she was sunk.

info on U508 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-508  

AND ON TYPE IX boats. https://uboat.net/types/ixc.htm 

Regards,

Gordon