RMS Laconia

In continuing with the story of the U-506, it was involved in the sinking of the RMS Laconia on September 12, 1942. This gave rise to the "Laconia Order."

Of interest, there were two RMS Laconias. Both were sunk by German U-Boats. The first one during WW I and the second in WW II.

The second RMS Laconia, like the first, was a Cunard liner which had its maiden voyage May 25, 1922 from Southhampton to New York. The following year it embarked on an around-the-world voyage covering 130 days and making 22 port-of-call.

On September 4, 1939, the British Navy acquired it and turned it into an armed merchant vessel carrying eight 6-inch guns.


THE SINKING

On September 12, 1942 it was hit by torpedoes from the U-156 at 8:10 pm. Most of the 450 Italian prisoners on boardwere killed instantly. Women and children were ordered off and the ship sank at 9:11.

When the U-156's commander realized that Italian prisoners, women and children were in the lifeboats, he called for assistance from nearby U-Boats U-506 and U-507 to come to their aid. While in the process of towing the lifeboats to the African coast, the ships were attacked by an American bomber.


LACONIA ORDER

This attack caused overall U-Boat commander Karl Donitz to issue what became known as the "Laconia Order" which forbade U-Boat captains from sttempting to rescue or assist survivors of torpedoed boats. After the war, Donitz was brought up on war crime charges and this was one of the items, but he successfully defended himself of the charges.

So, the U-506 not only had the highly successful cruise off the coast of the US, but was also involved in this incident.