S-105 was a high speed German motor torpedo boat, at a length of 33mtrs and powered by 3 Daimler Benz marine diesel engines, she was capable of speeds up to 44 knots. Her armament consisted of 2 x 21 inch torpedo tubes with 4 torpedoes carried, 3 x 20mm cannons, 1 x twin and 1 x single along with a single 37mm flak cannon. The S in S boat stands for schnell, this meaning fast in German, the name given to these craft was Schnellboot (Fast boat).
ARUBA SS - Convoy FS-50 (Possibly)?
Type - Cargo. Engine aft, bridge midships, well deck, plumb bow, counter stern, x1 deck, raised quarter deck 131 feet, Bridge deck 13 feet, forecastle 24 feet.
Position ... 52 51 509 N / 002 06 694 E
Built ... 1916
Tonnage ... 1159grt
Dimensions ... 70.2 x 10.4 x 3.96mtrs
Tonnage ... 1159 grt / 866 under deck / 674 net
Construction ... Steel
Engine ... 1x3 cylinder triple expansion engine / 85 rpm
Screw ... Diameter 11 feet 5 inches / blades x4
Boiler ... x1 scotch type boiler, x 6 corrugated furnaces
Donkey boiler ... Yes / type, Cochran vertical multi tubular
Double bottom ... Yes
Cargo battens fitted ... No
Armed ... Yes (weapon type unknown)
Power ... 120nhp
Speed ... 9 knots
Yard number ... 275
Official number ... 161043
Date lost ... 19th November 1941
Cause ... Torpedo
Builder ... Engine and vessel ... Wilton's Engineering Slipway Co, Rotterdam
Owner at time of loss ... Hook SS Co Ltd, ( a subsidiary of the Goole & Hull Steam Towing Company, Hull)
Ownership History
Built in 1916
as the SS Laura for De Poorter Joseph Holland of Rotterdam. 1919, changed ownership and name to SS Mont Cervin (Van der Eb & Dresselhuys Scheepvaart, Rotterdam. 1921, changed ownership and name to SS Graaf Hendrick (Scheepvaart Mij "Oranje Nassau" NV, Rotterdam. 1922, changed ownership and name to SS Nieuwapelle (Union Maritime Belge Deuxieme Auxiliare, Antwerp. 1929, change of ownership and name to SS Aruba (Goole & Hull Steam Towing Co Ltd, Hull, (remained in ownership until her time of loss).
Circumstances of loss
SS waldinge
Whilst en-route from Blyth to Coweswith a cargo of 1750 tons of coal, the convoy came under attack from the S Boat 2nd Flotilla on the 19th November 1941, this resulting in the Aruba being torpedoed and sent to the bottom by S-105, (S-105 survived the war and was surrendered to the Allies). During the attack on the Aruba, one life was lost, this being a DEMS gunner who went missing. The gunner is presumed to have been blown overboard from the explosion when S-105's torpedo hit. Additional vessels lost during the attack on convoy Fs-50 were the SS Waldinge and the tanker SS War Mehtar.
Click on links below
War Mehtar
Misidentification of the SS Aruba
SS Corbrook
The position of 52 50 326 N / 002 07 378 E was for many years thought to be that of the SS Aruba. In July 2010 the site listed was dived, this resulting in the recovery of a ships bell bearing the iscription of Corbrook. The site now believed to possibly be that of the Aruba is the position listed at the head of this page. The position given for the Aruba in the book The Shipwrecks of North East Norfolk is in fact that of the Corbrook. As can be seen from the book, this was first published in 2004, this being some six years prior to the 2010 discovery of the Corbrook's bell at the aforementioned position, this in turn positively identifying the site as that of the SS Corbrook. For more information on the SS Corbrook follow the link below.
Wilton's Engineering & Slipway Co, Rotterdam, builders of the SS Aruba and engine.
UKHO
1972 ... Wreck located in 52 51 42 N / 02 07 00 E
1992 ... Wreck not located in charted position. Wreck located in 52 51 29.3 N / 02 06 46.3 E. Least depth 27.7mtrs in a general depth of 29mtrs. Height 1mtr / length 50mtrs.
1994 ... Height 4.1mtrs, length 60mtrs, width 15mtrs. Appears to be intact in a deep scour.
2010 ... Aruba previously recorded to be at 52 50 326 N / 02 07 378 E. Now site identified as that of the Corbrook after positive identification of ships bell ' Corbrook'.
Left ... Three cylinder triple expansion engine as fitted in the Aruba. Cylinder diameter, High pressure 15.5 inches, intermediate 25.5 inches, low 41 inches. Stroke 36 inches.
Below ... Left, Cochran vertical multi tubular donkey boiler as fitted in the Aruba. Right, diagram showing the internal workings.
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Left ... Double bottom cross section as incorporated in the Aruba .... A double bottom is a method of construction where the bottom of the ship has two separate layers of watertight hull floor. The outer layer forms the outer hull and the inner layer, ie the floor forms a watertight barrier should the outer hull be breached. Up until 2007, double bottomed vessels were allowed to utilise their DB's for fuel storage. In addition the DB can also be used for the storage of ballast water.
The Aruba today
Awaiting divers report