All Battles

Laconia Incident

1942 • Südatlantik Seegefecht
Shuttle service for shipwrecked persons from the Laconia between U156 (foreground) and U507 (background) See also: Spraul, G.: "Vom Fähnlein zur Fahne in den Tod", ISBN 978-3-86634-502-7, pp. 637

Shuttle service for shipwrecked persons from the Laconia between U156 (foreground) and U507 (background) See also: Spraul, G.: "Vom Fähnlein zur Fahne in den Tod", ISBN 978-3-86634-502-7, pp. 637

Author: Leopold Schuhmacher, born 22. Oct. 1917, deceased 8. Mar. 1943License:PD
Source

Historical Overview

The Laconia incident was a series of events surrounding the sinking of a British passenger ship in the Atlantic Ocean on 12 September 1942, during World War II, and a subsequent aerial attack on German and Italian submarines involved in rescue attempts. RMS Laconia, carrying at least 2,732 crew, passengers, soldiers, and prisoners of war, was torpedoed and sunk by U-156, a German U-boat, off the West African coast. Operating partly under the dictates of the old prize rules, the U-boat's commander, Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartenstein, immediately commenced rescue operations. U-156 broadcast her position on open radio channels to all Allied powers nearby, and was joined by several other U-boats in the vicinity.

Quick Facts

Outcome:Draw.

Strategic Context

Turning point in humanitarian naval warfare.

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