SS Cuba

On April 6, 1945, while making its way across Sandown Bay towards Portsmouth Harbour, the massive French troop ship was hit by a torpedo from U1195. Thankfully, casualties were minimal. The rest of the crew and the troops on board were successfully evacuated, and only the stoker was killed.

Other vessels had seen the torpedo and listened to the warnings, slowing down to confuse the U1195’s torpedo’s acoustic homing signal. However, the SS Cuba attempted to return to port at a speed of 17 knots, and the missile struck its target fair and square.

The search for the U1195 continued. Since it had taken considerable danger to approach the shore so closely, adequate escorts were likely to be in the area and might immediately give chase. Finally, the next day, as it tried to run silently on the bottom, it was wiped out with anti-submarine projectors (also known as hedgehogs). They say 18 submariners made it out through the exposed torpedo tubes.

• http://timetraces.ca/nene/SS_Cuba_related_items.htm