SS Oropesa

[David Sewter]

Hello!

My late uncle Joseph Henry Furlong was one of the 113 who was killed whilst serving onboard the SS Oropesa when it was sunk by U - Boat 96, Jan 1941.
If anyone has any information regarding him or the crew it would be greatly appreciated!
Any photos of the crew would be great!

Many thanks,
David

[Bob Montgomery]

I think this was the oneOropesa-15.jpg

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Bob.
Glad to see you are like me still around and kicking. Do you still go to the NSW Vindi meetings? With Apologies to David.
Des

[Graham Shaw]

Hello!

My late uncle Joseph Henry Furlong was one of the 113 who was killed whilst serving onboard the SS Oropesa when it was sunk by U - Boat 96, Jan 1941.
If anyone has any information regarding him or the crew it would be greatly appreciated!
Any photos of the crew would be great!

Many thanks,
David

Hello David. The U Boat .net site has some information HERE,including 111 persons who were on board.Your relative is listed.


You should also find him and other known casualties commemorated on the CWGC Tower Hill Memorial-Panel 77.-ss Oropesa
Regards
Graham

[Don Hooper]

David,
SS Oropesa. Pacific S N Co. Built 1920. 14118 tons gross.
Torpedoed and sunk by U-96 (capt, Lehmann-Willenbrock) 16/1/41 at 56,28N 12,00W, SE of Rockall sailing independently Mombasa to UK with cargo of maize and copper and 41 passengers.
The Master, Capt. Harry E H Croft, 98 crew, 1 gunner and 6 passengers were lost. 109 crew, 33 passengers and 1 gunner were rescued by HN Tugs Superman, Tenacity and Diligent and destroyer HMS Westcott and landed at Liverpool. (Slight discrepancy in numbers here)
Hope this fills in some of the gaps
Don Hooper (Ex Ellerman, Jardines, United Baltic and Comben-Longstaff + N Sea drillrig mover).

[Graham Shaw]

David Sewter...Re JOSEPH HENRY FURLONG-Commemoration Certificate;- Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Further to my post #4 ,you can Download A Certificate HERE,then print it ,which is always a nice keepsake to include in a family history.

Best Wishes
Graham

[DeepSea]

Troopship Oropesa, 14,118grt, (Pacific SN Co.) had been sailing independently from Mombasa to the UK on government service carrying forty-one passengers made up of 35 naval ratings and 6 officers , plus a general cargo including copper and maize. On the 16th January 1941 in the early hours of the morning about 92 nautical miles South-East of Rockall the ship was hit in the stern by a torpedo from U-96. Forty minutes later a second torpedo missed the target and was followed by a third, which found its mark. Still the ship remained afloat and two hours after the first attack a fourth torpedo finally sank the ship in position 56’ 30N 11’ 40W. The Master, ninety-nine crewmembers, including a father and his son and six passengers perished. The Destroyer HMS Westcott and the naval tugs HMT Superman and HMT Tenacity rescued one hundred and ten crewmembers and thirty-three passengers and landed them at Liverpool.