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**Slug:** poon-lim-133-days-raft-survival-ss-benlomond-1942
**Meta Description:** In 1942, his ship was torpedoed in the Atlantic. Poon Lim spent 133 days alone on a raft, surviving through improvisation, determination, and skill.
**Category:** Extraordinary Survival
**Thumbnail Hook:** 133 days alone in the Atlantic. The only survivor. Here’s how he did it.
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**Source Notes and Editorial Ledger**
*Sources consulted:*
– en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poon_Lim — Full biographical article: birth date (8 March 1918, Hainan), raft description (Carley float, 8-foot square), supply inventory, survival methods, rescue date (5 April 1943), British Empire Medal (gazetted 13 July 1943), hospital conflicting durations, later life timeline, death date (4 January 1991); read in full
– uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2462.html — SS Benlomond specifications: 6,630 GRT, Irvine’s Shipbuilding 1922, Ben Line Steamers, position of sinking (0°30’N, 38°45’W), attacker (U-172, Carl Emmermann), casualties (53 dead, 1 survivor), rescue at Belém 8 April 1943; read in full
– en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-172 — U-172 patrol history: 6 patrols, 26 ships sunk, 152,080 GRT, wolf-packs (Eisbär, Unverzagt, Seeräuber), commander Carl Emmermann, third patrol dates (19 August – 27 December 1942), sunk 13 December 1943 by USS Bogue and destroyers; read in full
– blog.geogarage.com/2023/01/surviving-133-days-at-sea-remarkable.html — Reconstruction of survival phases, water-color change as land indicator, rescue details, recovery, recognition; read in full
– factinate.com/people/facts-poon-lim — Background including family context, brother’s comment about British officers, schooling supported by brothers’ wages, 1937 Hong Kong mechanics study, return to sea 1941, survival methods detail; read in full
– todayifoundout.com/?p=38039 — Detailed survival account: supply inventory, swimming routine from day 60, storm destroying fish/water stock, bird-luring method, missed rescues, rescue at mouth of Amazon; read in full
– offgridweb.com/survival/survival-at-sea/amp/ — Additional survival detail: tied himself to raft during storms and while sleeping, poor swimmer, US Navy reconstruction of raft at Truman’s request (note: this claim appears in this source and has not been independently verified via primary documentation); read in full
– lascars.co.uk/war.html — Chinese seamen in British merchant navy: ~5,000 employed, Ben Line among employers, wage gap (~25–30% below British rates), 1942 war bonus agreement, Silverash shooting incident, Empress of Scotland dispute, casualty figures (831 killed, 254 missing by March 1943), desertions in New York 1942; read in full
– bushcraftbuddy.com/poon-lim-133-days-at-sea/ — Raft and supply inventory cross-reference, survival phase sequence, vessel encounter detail, rescue and recovery; read in full