Nummer: 01417
| Area : | Western Area |
| Sea area : | North Atlantic |
| Date of attack : | 18.02.1940 |
| Time of attack : | 04:20 |
| Nationality of U-boat : | German |
| U-boat : | U 53 |
| Commander : | Grosse |
| Grid : | [BF 7892] |
| presumed target type : | Tanker |
| presumed result : | sunk |
| Used weapon(s) : | Torpedo(es) |
| Date of observation : | 18.02.1940 |
| Time of observation : | 03:30 |
| Nationality of target : | Spanish |
| Actual type of target : | Steam Freighter |
| Name of target : | Banderas |
| Year of launch : | 1899 |
| Actual tonnage : | 2140 BRT |
| Actual result : | sunk |
| Position of target : | 6sm off Cape Villano |
| Footnote : | U-53 observed convoy 10.RS/65.KS on Feb.17th at 8:54 p.m. and stayed in contact. Alas, "Banderas" was not part of this convoy, but running the same route behind. The position of attack is not clear. -- With no torpedoes left, U-53 started its return journey but was sunk on Feb.23rd by HMS "Gurkha". "Banderas" had been a ship of the Spanish Nationalist Party. So the attack had been a sort of "friendly fire". |
| updated on: | 01.10.2018 |
| Remark: | ANM |
| Changes: | 1) BANDERAS fuhr nicht im Konvoi 10.RS, sondern auf derselben Route dahinter. U-53 nahm fälschlich an, "Banderas" sei ein Nachzügler des Konvois. 2) Versenkungsposition war nicht 8sm NW, sondern 6sm vor Kap Villano. 3) Quadrat CG 2231 war nicht die Angriffsposition von U53, sondern eventuell der Standort vom 17/2054 (Zeitpunkt der Entdeckung des Konvois). 4) Laut DUIKBOOT (am 1.10.2018) liegt die gekoppelte A-Position im Quadrat [BF 7892]. |