[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo all,

'Iwate' had nine lives it seems, or at least six anyway. There are four separate attacks recorded on it during late 1940 alone, all by aircraft with bombs and guns.
6 September, 3 October, 11 November and 23 December 1940.
All these attacks are listed in 'FW 200 CONDOR' by Juan-Carlos Salgado (so presumably all by Condors) and 'BRITISH VESSELS LOST AT SEA, 1914-18 and 1939-45'.

File G2/X/0423, Part 1 - 'Attacks on Shipping' (covering July 1940 to May 1941) has some pages on the 3 October and 23 December 1940 attacks, plus another on 29 March 1941. There is also a report on the 'Naniwa' sinking of 16 February 1941 which mentions the 'Iwate' and indeed records that its crew reported being bombed too.

Of interest to Chris might be a mention in the 3 October 1940 report that the 'Iwate' was armed with a Lewis gun which was manned by a gunner of the Royal Artillery, one Edward Simpson who believed he had hit the nose of the attacking aircraft with tracer bullets.

Fire was also returned by the 'Iwate' during the 29 March 1941 attack. There is no reference to weapons or their use by the trawler(s) during the 23 December 1940 or 16 February 1941 incidents but I think it is safe to assume they were used based on the above.

The four reports in the Irish Military Archives file were generated because 'Iwate' called into an Irish harbour after each attack, either due to having wounded or rescued survivors aboard or to make temporary repairs.

One really has to admire the courage of these fishermen. As far as I can tell 'Iwate' survived the war. If anyone can add more it will be Mark.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.