Technical
general cargo vessel���� -� steam�� -�� single screw
6,690 GRT� -� 10,950 DWT
426'6" x 55'6" x 28'6"
Service speed 11.0 knots

U-442 was part of Gruppe Veilchen (Violet) comprising 13 U-boats. The ship had been damaged by U-132, was abandoned by her crew and fell behind the convoy.  At 03:22 the burning and sinking vessel was finished off with a torpedo fired by U-442.  The ship blew up in a thunderous explosion.  Postwar Admiralty analysis identified this explosion as the likely cause for U-132's (Vogelsang) destruction.    Probably U-132 was near the ship to wait for her victim to sink or to administer a finishing shot when the torpedo from U-442 blew her up.  Likely U-132 was hit by debris and immediately sank with all hands.

Most records indicate that the ship was already abandoned when it sank, and there were no casualties. This is probably incorrect, I've been contacted by a relative of the Purser of Hatimura: Thanks to Christine Freeman who writes:
I have been doing some research on my grandfather Louis Stephen Farla, Purser who went down with his ship the Hatimura. I came across your site which says there were no causalities on this ship. Please be kind enough to amend this record and include my grandfather as one of the victims. My father had always said he was the only casualty and had apparently gone to save some papers and unfortunately was not a good swimmer. I have also come across a Chinese carpenter who also seems to have perished.

Thanks to Walter Janssens for extra information on this page.

Unless otherwise stated, all dates and times are from the German perspective and are given in CET.
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