German torpedoes sink the SS Mendoza close to Durban

Torpedoes deployed by the U-178 a German submarine sank the SS Mendoza a ship bound for Durban on the Indian Ocean. The SS Mendoza was an ex-Vichy French ship captured off Montevideo by a British armed merchant cruiser. After its construction in 1920, the ship was registered to the Societe Generale Transport Maritime. After its capture the ship was handed over to the Blue Funnel Company for manning and management. Later it was also used as a liner by the Ministry of War for transporting troops. Towards the end of October 1942 the SS Mendoza sailed without an armoured escort from Mombasa to Durban under Captain B.T. Batho. On board the ship were 153 crew members and 250 service personnel.  A German submarine the U-178 built for service during the World War II that patrolled the waters of the Indian Ocean around the Cape and the South and South East of South Africa had succeeded in sinking other ships. The submarine sank a number of ships in 1942 including SS Duchess of Atholl, Trekieve a British ship,  the Hai Hing a Norwegian cargo ship and the Jeremiah Wadsworth off the coast of Cape Aghullus. It is within the context of the ship's patrol that the SS Mendoza was sunk. At about 129 kilometres from Durban, the U-178 deployed torpedoes to the SS Mendoza damaging its two propellers and blowing off its rudder. After the ship was struck, ten lifeboats were launched and several people managed to escape and headed for dry land. The survivors were picked up by an American ship the SS Alava. A total number of 150 people died including the captain, crew and service personnel. References Allen Tony, (2008), SS Mendoza (+1942), from Wreck Site, 17 April 2008, [online], Available at www.wrecksite.eu, [Accessed 22 October 2010]