Chapter 6 Where are they now?

What happened to the U-81?

After the U-81 had attacked the Saroena, she went on to sink four entering Salamis on 19 February 1943. Later she returned to sea sinking a further three Egyptian vessels; the ‘Bourghieh’, the ‘Mawahab Allah’ and the ‘Rousdi’

On 17 June 1943 U-81 had to retreat when she was shelled by coastal artillery after sinking the ‘Michalios’ three miles west of Latakia, Syria. She sank her last ship, the ‘Empire Dunstan’, on 18 November 1943

The U-81 was eventually attacked and sunk by US bombers whilst in Pola on 9 January 1944. The wreck of the submarine was raised on 22 April 1944 and said to have broken up.

In her service, the U-81 had conducted 17 patrols, sank 23 ships totalling 63,289 tons and damaging two others (including the Saroena) totalling 14,143 tons.

What happened to the Saroena?

We are fortunate in that we have first hand accounts available of her service after her refit in 1943/44.

John Glerum has written a few accounts of his post as 2^nd officer on the Saroena via a website run by John Papenhuyzen, based in Sydney, Australia (1)

John Glerum was posted as 2^nd officer on the Saroena in June 1944 until August 1945. The vessel then was operating between Madras and Chittagong supplying the American airbase near the Burmese border, from where the Americans used to bomb the Japanese forces in Burma.

During these voyages we used to hug the coast of India, fortunately we saw no Japanese U-boats, which were all operating south of Ceylon in the Indian Ocean.

I left to go on leave whilst the ship (Saroena) was in dry dock just after I had a week respite in Darjeeling in the mountains.

In June 1947 I left the company to star a new life in Australia.

John Glerum ‘Through the Eye of the Needle’

In March 2009 John was presented with the ‘Mobilisatie Oortogskruis’ (the Dutch equivalent of the Military cross) by the Netherlands Defence attache in Canberra.

Unfortunately, John passed away in 2010 aged 96

The Saroena was laid up between 957-61 and was eventually discarded in 1961, finally being scrapped in Hong Kong.

John Glerum’s life at Sea

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ordu_4/johnglerumstory.htm


				*The Beirut File 1943* *Chapter 6 Where are they now?*



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		What happened to the U-81? After the U-81 had attacked the Saroena, she went on to sink four entering Salamis on 19 February 1943. Later she returned to sea sinking a further three Egyptian vessels; the ‘Bourghieh’, the ‘Mawahab Allah’ and the ‘Rousdi’ On 17 June 1943 U-81 had to retreat when she was shelled by coastal artillery after sinking the ‘Michalios’ three miles west of Latakia, Syria. She sank her last ship, the ‘Empire Dunstan’, on 18 November 1943 The U-81 was eventually attacked and sunk by US bombers whilst in Pola on 9 January 1944. The wreck of the submarine was raised on 22 April 1944 and said to have broken up. In her service, the U-81 had conducted 17 patrols, sank 23 ships totalling 63,289 tons and damaging two others (including the Saroena) totalling 14,143 tons. What happened to the Saroena? We are fortunate in that we have first hand accounts available of her service after her refit in 1943/44. John Glerum has written a few accounts of his post as 2^nd officer on the Saroena via a website run by John Papenhuyzen, based in Sydney, Australia (1) John Glerum was posted as 2^nd officer on the Saroena in June 1944 until August 1945. The vessel then was operating between Madras and Chittagong supplying the American airbase near the Burmese border, from where the Americans used to bomb the Japanese forces in Burma. During these voyages we used to hug the coast of India, fortunately we saw no Japanese U-boats, which were all operating south of Ceylon in the Indian Ocean. I left to go on leave whilst the ship (Saroena) was in dry dock just after I had a week respite in Darjeeling in the mountains. In June 1947 I left the company to star a new life in Australia. John Glerum ‘Through the Eye of the Needle’ In March 2009 John was presented with the ‘Mobilisatie Oortogskruis’ (the Dutch equivalent of the Military cross) by the Netherlands Defence attache in Canberra. Unfortunately, John passed away in 2010 aged 96 The Saroena was laid up between 957-61 and was eventually discarded in 1961, finally being scrapped in Hong Kong. John Glerum’s life at Sea http://members.optusnet.com.au/ordu_4/johnglerumstory.htm



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