Charles L D

History Completed in January 1934 as French Charles L.D. for Louis Dreyfus & Cie, Dunkirk. In 1940 operated by the Vichy French government as Procyon. On 23 Mar, 1941, the Vichy French Charles L.D. was captured by HMNZS Leander (75) (Capt R.H. Bevan, RN) between Mauritius and Madagascar. The ship was brought to Mauritius and taken over by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

Master	From	To
G H Pickering	8/1941	12/1942

Vessel

Built

Tonnage

Official No

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

Screws

Charles LD

1933

5273

135620

A/B Gotaverken

Gothenburg

A/B Gotaverken

Gothenburg

Motor 8 Cyl

Gotaverken

3600 BHP

Career Summary

1941 - 42 Managed by Union-Castle

Notes on loss

At 09.10 hours on 9 Dec, 1942, the Charles L.D. (Master Diego Emmanuel Canoz) in convoy HX-217 was torpedoed and sunk by U-553 about 405 miles east of Cape Farewell. 34 crew members and two French gunners were lost. The master and eleven crew members were picked up by the British rescue ship Perth (Master Keith Williamson, OBE) and landed at Clyde on 13 December.