I felt responsible for losing them and a totally ridiculous guilt came over me., For a few days, reporters made a big fuss of the heroic boy who had helped others in his lifeboat to survive. It was used until 1993, when the name was changed to DSMA-Notice (Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice). Stroking her hair and telling her that rescue was on its way, he did his best to preserve her morale and her life. Germany initially denied involvement. By then the crippled Glorious was listing and turning in circles while being relentlessly pounded by German guns. Two of the youngest serving Merchant Seamen killed in WWII. On September 12, the children assembled at the dockside in Liverpool clutching small suitcases and their gas masks. Merchant ship movement card (catalogue reference: BT 389) In the top left corner of the record is the ship's name. At 4 p.m. on June 8, 1940, the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious was cruising west across the Norwegian Sea towards the British naval base of Scapa Flow when her lookout spotted two grey blips over a dozen miles away on the horizon. World War II: The tug (239 GRT) struck a mine in the North Sea and sank. The youngest known Second World War service death being that of Raymond Victor Steed, age 14, Galley Boy from the S.S. Oxford University-trained historian and author of more than a dozen books Jonathan Fenby stated that 1,738 perished (Fenby 2005, p. 247), but as there are no official figures published, there are great discrepancies in the numbers calculated by a variety of authors, and other estimates range from 2,000 to 9,000. Up went the bows and down she went.. Scharnhorst limped home, listing at five degrees, and would spend the next six months in Trondheim, Norway undergoing repairs. From somewhere out there in the deep, a German U-boat had fired a torpedo directly into the ship, just below the childrens sleeping quarters. World War II: The passenger ship (2,113 GRT, 1908) was bombed and sunk in the Norwegian Sea (. World War II: The cargo ship (1,927 GRT, 1922) was scuttled as a blockship in Churchill Sound, World War II: The cargo ship (6,701 GRT, 1918) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of Land's End, United Kingdom (, World War II: The cargo ship (4,201 GRT, 1911) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Ireland (, World War II: The cargo ship (1,291 GRT, 1913) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Land's End (. There were only 11 survivors. World War II: The cargo ship (7,886 GRT, 1938) was scuttled at Gibraltar to prevent capture by British forces. All nine crew were rescued by the trawler, The coaster (270 GRT) ran ashore on Kalder Steel, off, The cargo ship (3,303 or 3,240 GRT, 1913) struck a submerged wreck in the, The coaster (121 GRT, 1918) sank off the mouth of the. She was responsible for the sinking of the HMS Curacoa in 1942 but the Queen Mary survived the war without sinking. The great betrayal: How journalist Isabel Oakeshott leaked Matt Hancock's WhatsApps after they worked Don't just stick to the Malbec! 39 days; Cargo removed, Crew 3; Japanese POW: 164; Died POW:12 including 4 lost on Earlier that day the battlecruisers sank an oil tanker and a trawler. She looked at me and said: What have you done with all your clothes? he says. Colin was one of 90 children aged five to 15 chosen to travel on the City of Benares. Alexia British Motor tanker The Alexia after conversion to the MAC ship HMS Alexia. are also recorded at the top of the card.From left to right, the six columns on the card will tell you: the year, current voyage and . You must stay awake., Safe: Survivors of the torpedoed S.S City of Benares passenger ship huddle together on one of the life rafts awaiting rescue. The Sinking of the Lancastria Stan Scislowski On Monday, June 17, 1940, the Cunard Liner, Lancastria, pressed into war service as a troopship was anchored . Later, he received an oak-leaf emblem, which came with instructions to wear it on the ribbon of the War Medal an award he was too young to earn. Most of the content on this site is created by our users, who are members of the Whatever the case, this event likely remains the largest single-ship loss of life in British maritime history, more than the RMS Titanic, which had an estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard and suffered over 1,500 fatalities. People were jumping. The BBC is not responsible for the content of any external sites The evacuees were in several western French ports including Lorient and St. Nazaire on the Loire River. Within half an hour, four of the crew members on his boat had slipped into unconsciousness and died. They included Pioneer and Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Royal Engineers, and Royal Air Force personnel, some Polish and Czech troops, civilian refugees, embassy staff, employees of Fairey Aviation of Belgium and their families. Aboard one lifeboat, a freezing boy fell unconscious and slipped into the sea. : Carron United Kingdom World War II: The Admiralty-requisitioned cargo ship . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Naval Historical Foundation 1306 Dahlgren Avenue, SE Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374 1-202-678-4333 info@navyhistory.org. Late 1940, two Welsh Brothers Kenneth James Lewis and Raymond Leslie Lewis walked aboard their first ship, the Cardiff registered cargo ship SS Fiscus, 4,815grt, (W.H. SS Arizan Maru while being transferred to Japan, Japanese POW 4 - 2 killed on Wake by Japanese, Damaged-No damage [sources disagree on damage], Steamship (Ship confiscated by U.S. prior), Crew 1; 29 to Japanese POW camp: Died POW: 4. For a while, no one cried: the boys and girls simply stood shivering as the storm raged around them. The Glorious then was assigned to pick up the fighters she had just dropped off. World War II: The cargo ship (873 or 909 GRT, 1904) struck a mine off Cape Granitola, Italy and sank. Like many boys of his era, Colin had been circumcised, and they knew that if the Germans invaded, he risked being wrongly identified as a Jew. by Norwegian commandos 11/03/39, Sent from Gibraltar to Marseilles; Released In any event, none of the Glorious aircraft were airborne performing a Combat Air Patrol, nor were any readied on the flight deckperhaps due to concerns of pilot fatigue. World War II: The armed merchant cruiser (17,046 GRT, 1925) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west . Left to right, Kenneth Sparkes, Derek Capel, Freddie Steele, Billy Short and Howard Clayton, Far from being distraught at leaving his parents behind, Colin was excited at the prospect of stepping into a real-life Western: I thought of the sun and the hills. Her pointed bow still poked from below a raised flight deck. please notify usmm.org @ comcast.net, Taken to Norway; Soviet Unio; Norway; released In the Hotel Berlin, the Gestapo is searching for underground leader Martin Richter. British and Allied evacuation vessels took Lancastrias survivors aboard, the trawler HMT Cambridgeshire alone rescuing nearly 900 souls. 'How much can business take?' Her classs lead ship, the Courageous, had launched the first carrier-launched naval air strike in history near the end of World War I. Charles C. Kolb, PhD, is a USNI Golden Life Member. uboat.net FR Cyclone, accessed 30 July 2016. Families of men from both ships have attended an annual maritime commemmoration . The ship was apparently equipped with sixteen lifeboats and 2,500 life jackets, but many of the boats were damaged from the air attacks while others were unusable because of the ships starboard list and hull angle. A2477018. As it hovered over the waves, it suddenly lurched, then one end jerked downwards and was smashed by a wall of water. Details of the British ships sunk during July - December 1940. Couple find note in chimney that reveals their 290,000 house was 100 times cheaper 50 years ago. I was barefoot, wearing pink pyjamas and my life-jacket, when I walked into the Central Hotel in Glasgow. Also he was going to join the Navy in UK, would like to get the facts from the Navy about him signing into the Navy, also his father, my Great Grandfather, signed the India Shipping documents in Belfast, Ireland in 1921, claims, can I make claim for Great Great Grandfathers son, William George Ellason Myers he was born 1899, he lost his things and what else damages stress, we were also Banker, looking for documents to support the opening of the Bank of England, Ireland and Scotland and all Y.M.C.A., in America we were Bank Starter for all Great West Permanent Loans and Savings company of Canada, and I believe London Life and all Permanent Buildings, we were amazing, last known residence in his WILL, residing in the Union Theology College of British Columbia/United Church of Canada, Esquire, Banker and Methodist Minister, named after 4 priests. This is the story of Beryl Myatt, a child evacuee during the Second World War. The maritime disaster resulted in the deaths of 51 people46 from the Andrea Doria and 5 from the Stockholm. The Glorious and her two escorting destroyers did not yet have radar, so Capt. World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (261 GRT, 1918) was scuttled at Lorient, France. A German submarine torpedoed the ship hours after Britain declared war on Hitler in 1939 - more than 100 people, including many Americans, were killed. Of the 38 people in his boat, only 14 remained. Not a member of the Naval Institute? DOyly-Hughes ordered the destroyer Ardent to turn about and visually investigate the sighting, while nonchalantly maintaining his westward course at cruising speed. When dawn broke, Bess and Beth were still somehow clinging onto their upturned lifeboat along with two men. How ironic it is that the second Apapa was making the identical voyage from the Lagos port that shared her name to Liverpool. The two boys are believed to of forged a letter from their Father stating he had given permission for them to join the ship. The only comfort came from urinating in the water: for a few brief seconds, he could feel the warmth swirling around his legs. Owners and gross tonnage (G.T.) You could see people running around on the decks. These advantages meant that battleships and battlecruisers were repeatedly sunk by carrier-based aircraft, from Pearl Harbor to Taranto to the Battle of the Philippines Sea. World War II:The auxiliary minesweeper (628 GRT) was scuttled at Le Havre, France. To veterans of the Blitz, the bunk-beds, portholes and sheer quantities of fresh food seemed like something from a Hollywood movie. As a precaution, his mother had sewn a life-jacket into the lining, which in turn had been stuffed with silky kapok fibre to provide extra insulation. When do the clocks change in 2023? The site of the sinking is not an official War Grave safeguarded by The Protection of Military Remains Act of 1986 because the British have no jurisdiction over the French territorial waters where Lancastrias wreck lies, but the French government has provided an appropriate level of protection to the site, prohibiting diving on the wreck, for example. Yes, battleships mounted over a dozen guns that could pot huge shells at other vessels from over a dozen miles away. Then, mercifully, he threw himself overboard. Abandoning his grip on the gunwales, Colin helped pull out the corpses and consign them to a watery grave. as the source. 'Dreadful time': A letter sent by a survivor of the sinking to their parents tell of their horrendous experience on the sinking ship. World War II: The cargo ship (4,499 GRT) was scuttled at Brest, France. The list of shipwrecks in June 1940 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during June 1940. The ship was built by William Beardmore and Company of Dalmuir on the River Clyde and launched in 1920 as Royal Mail Steamship (RMS) Tyrrhenia for the Anchor Line, a subsidiary of the better-known Cunard Line. SS Express was a Type C3-E cargo ship of American Export Lines that was sunk by Japanese submarine I-10 in June 1942 in the Indian Ocean. At first, he thought the Benares must have collided with another ship. Its first two torpedoes missed, but the third scored a bulls eye, hitting the City of Benares. The following brief overview of the Lancastrias history is augmented with verified information from sources that Wynn might have consulted. Hammac was a steam tank ship built in 1920-1921 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Alameda for the United States Shipping Board as part of the wartime shipbuilding program of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) to restore the nation's Merchant Marine. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. World War II: The cargo ship (3,577 GRT, 1918) was torpedoed and sunk in the, The cargo ship (1,478 GRT, 1924) collided with, World War II: The fishing vessel (96 GRT, 1919) struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off, World War II: The cargo ship (3,584 GRT, 1910) was scuttled at, World War II: The tanker (603 GRT) struck a mine in the English Channel off, World War II: The cargo ship (2,317 GRT, 1904) was shelled and sunk in the, The cargo ship (351 GRT, 1920) collided with, World War II: The minesweeper (682/874 t, 1939) struck a mine off, World War II: The cargo ship (2,863 GRT, 1937) struck a mine in the, World War II: The sailing vessel (183 GRT, 1902) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The coaster (798 GRT, 1904) was torpedoed, shelled and sunk in the, World War II: The coaster (145 GRT) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The trawler (217 GRT, 1904) struck a mine in the North Sea (, World War II: The cargo ship (5,888 GRT, 1936) was torpedoed and damaged in the, World War II: The cargo ship (4,212 GRT, 1927) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28km; 17mi) off Tory Island by, World War II: The cargo ship (5,415 GRT, 1933) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: Operation Juno: The tanker (5,666 GRT, 1928) was shelled and sunk in the Norwegian Sea off Jan Mayen (, World War II: Operation Juno: The troopship (19,840 GRT, 1924) was shelled and sunk in the Norwegian Sea (. However, in May 24, the Allies began evacuating forces in Norway due to Germanys successful offensives into the Low Countries and France. "Naval Events, March 1940, Part 1 of 2, Friday 1st Thursday 14th", "Verluste Deutscher Handelsschiffe 1939-1945 und unter deutscher Flagge fahrender auslndischer Schiffe: 1940", "Naval Events, February 1940, Part 1 of 2, Thursday 1st - Wednesday 14th", "Naval Events, March 1940, Part 2 of 2, Friday 15th Sunday 31st", "Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939 - 1945. But a carrier could deploy over a hundred airplanes that could strike targets hundreds of miles away with torpedoes and bombs. World War II: The cargo ship (1,684 GRT, 1920) was bombed and sunk in the English Channel off Le Havre, France by Luftwaffe aircraft. Though the Royal Navy claimed the transmission was too garbled to be understood, her crew later testified to the contrary. After the Navy, Colin became a Lloyds underwriter, married first wife, Gill, and adopted a baby of six weeks who grew up to become Changing Rooms presenter Anna Ryder Richardson. At 5 PM a shell slammed into the Gloriouss bridge, killing DOyly and most of the command crew. RMS was a sign of distinction and quality. Find out how you can use this. This feat accomplished, the Glorious was to sail back to the UK with fellow carrier Ark Royal for mutual protection. In fact, HMS Hurricane, a Royal Navy destroyer, was already combing the area. True, the ship had slowed down to negotiate the storm, but it was still ploughing in the right direction. 1,596 Royal Navy and Air Force personnel died, many freezing to death awaiting rescue. It was there that, suddenly, he began to relive the horrors of the sinking. Colin acted quickly. As he worked, he knew that a single wave could sweep him away. It was like sitting in a giant bathtub full of freezing water, he recalls. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. List of shipwrecks: 3 March 1940 Ship Country Description Arucas Germany World War II: The passenger ship (3,369 GRT, 1927) was intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean east of Iceland by HMS York ( Royal Navy) and was scuttled by herTen crew members were lost at sea. Wynn states that there were 2,488 survivors and a minimum of 2,385 perished. Under the British Official Secrets Act, the report on the Lancastria cannot be published until the year 2040. World War II: The cargo ship (3,404 GRT, 1927) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The coaster (253 GRT) struck a mine and sank at, World War II: The auxiliary sloop (1,049 GRT, 1923) was shelled and sunk in the English Channel between, World War II: The auxiliary patrol vessel (197 GRT) was scuttled at, World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (511 GRT) was shelled and sunk in the English Channel between Fcamp and, World War II: The collier (4,690 GRT, 1853) was bombed and sunk at, World War II: The coaster (264 GRT, 1914) was beached and abandoned in the, World War II: The trawler struck a mine and sank at, World War II: The tanker (8,030 GRT, 1928) was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off, World War II: The coaster (198 GRT, 1929) struck a mine and sank in, World War II: The naval trawler (326 GRT, 1928) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The coaster (209 GRT, 1928) was beached and abandoned in the River Seine in Paris, France. DOyly kicked Heath off the ship and departed on missions to ferry Royal Air Force Gladiators and Hurricanes to Norway. The list of shipwrecks in March 1940 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during March 1940. LANCASTRIA (June 17, 1940) The loss of the Lancastria was the fourth largest maritime disaster of the war. Rangitane left Auckland on Sunday 24 November 1940, en route to Britain via the Panama Canal. She was subsequently salvaged and repaired by the Germans and entered. World War II: The cargo ship (7,340 GRT) was bombed and sunk off Le Havre, France by Luftwaffe aircraft. Ships starting with Ba", "The History of the Eastbourne Lifeboat Station", "Norwegian merchant ships 1939 - 1945, Ships starting with N", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_shipwrecks_in_March_1940&oldid=1118868228, World War II: The cargo ship (2,390 GRT, 1922) was intercepted off, World War II: The cargo ship (1,388 GRT, 1909) was bombed and sunk in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22km) east by south of, World War II: The cargo ship (6,530 GRT, 1925) was intercepted in the, World War II: The cargo ship (2,818 GRT, 1929) was shelled and sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (695 GRT, 1937) was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off. Colin was still trying to comfort his neighbour until a man told him she was dead. The German battlecruisers then hastily left the scene without picking up survivors. Kenneth Lewis was only 14 years old, His Brother Raymond 15. 2012 Sean Longden. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe Watch on YouTube Hell Below 2 seasons . Captain Rudolf Sharpe later lost his life when the ship he commanded, the Laconia, was sunk. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. The Royal Navy apparently remained unaware of the battle and made no rescue effort, only learning what happened after Germany announced the victory. Within four months of the outbreak of World War II, Lancastria was requisitioned by the Admiralty as His Majestys Troopship (HMT) Lancastria under the command of Captain Rudolph Sharp. World War II: The trawler (30 GRT, 1922) was sunk in the North Sea by Heinkel He 111 aircraft of KG26, Luftwaffe. Published: 00:26 GMT, 10 March 2012 | Updated: 00:27 GMT, 10 March 2012. Naval Institute is maintaining and preserving the former Naval Historical Foundation website so readers and former NHF members can still access past issues of Pull Together and other content. His dreams, however, were rudely interrupted that night by a loud bang. They were in their dressing-gowns, with no life-belt, clutching teddy bears. The cargo ship (1,435 GRT, 1903) ran aground at, World War II: The fishing vessel (96 GRT) was bombed and sunk in the North Sea (. And when he arrived back on British soil, everything seemed to have a dream-like quality. World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (301 GRT, 1907) was scuttled at, World War II: The naval tug (179 GRT) was scuttled at, World War II: The cargo ship (1,199 GRT, 1908) was scuttled at, World War II: The cargo ship (3,594 GRT, 1920) was scuttled at Rochefort, France. http://www.british-merchant-navy.co.uk/TOWER.htm. . Theyd just woken up.. It stayed upright, but the big waves breaking over the bows quickly swamped it. At 02.15 hours on 10 Aug 1942, U-510 fired torpedoes at the Alexia and observed three hits in sequence and thought after 10 minutes that the tanker had sunk, but the ship was again salved. (Look 18/06/1940), World War II: The naval trawler (348 GRT, 1929) ran aground at Brest, France and was abandoned without loss. This list of sources is concerning as there are at least a dozen sources that would have provided additional information to flesh-out his brief narrative, namely Winston Churchills 1949 The Second World War, Vol. The coaster (350 GRT, 1909) ran aground on Fort Island, World War II: The cargo ship (3,137 GRT, 1922) struck a mine and sank in the North Sea north of, The coaster (352 GRT, 1937) sank after hitting rocks near, The cargo ship (4,859 GRT, 1912) ran aground at off, The fishing vessel (227 GRT, 1916) collided with, World War II: The cargo ship (2,248 GRT, 1916) struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium (, The trawler (219 GRT, 1915) foundered in a storm on rocks known as "The Black Waughs", The trawler (276 GRT, 1917) collided with, World War II: The cargo ship (1,229 GRT, 1911) was torpedoed, shelled and sunk in the North Sea off the north coast of Inverness-shire (, World War II: The cargo ship (2,109 GRT, 1920) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The trawler (341 or 202 GRT, 1900) was bombed and sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (1,153 GRT, 1893) was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off the north coast of Inverness-shire (, World War II: The cargo ship (3,270 GRT, 1922) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north of the, World War II: The cargo ship (4,947 GRT, 1921) was torpedoed and sunk in the, The cargo ship (1,914 GRT) was damaged by ice and sank in the, The cargo ship (1,282 GRT, 1902) collided in dense fog with, World War II: The naval trawler (210 GRT, 1910) struck a mine in the, The cargo ship (3,030 GRT) ran aground off, World War II: The tanker (5,742 GRT, 1921) was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea east of the. My late uncle Richard Gleasure, an aircraft technician, was due to be on the SS Lancastria, rescue ship , but as his air force colleges were leaving with a full aircraft, several yelled to him to RUN, Quick,, as they then pulled him onto an already taxing plane through the floor door, he was saved. On 1 July 1940, the SS Arandora Star began its final, fateful voyage, transporting internees from Liverpool to camps in Canada. Unlike the other youngsters, who had official escorts, he was travelling independently, though his parents had asked Laszlo Raskai, a Hungarian journalist, to keep an eye on him. World War II: The cargo ship (1,522 GRT, 1923) was torpedoed and damaged in the, World War II: The cargo ship (3,554 GRT, 1920) was damaged and abandoned at Brest, France. World War II: The auxiliary patrol vessel (302 GRT, 1906) was scuttled at Brest, France. Estimates of the loss range between 3,000 and 5,800 fatalities. Some survivors claimed that a bomb had gone straight down a funnel, others thought bombs hit No, 4, 2, and 3 holds. Once the ship was on its way in a convoy escorted by vessels from the Royal Navy Colin read books in the library and played games on deck. The date was September 17, 1940. Chris Pleasance explains how Do not sell or share my personal information. I knew that if I fell asleep, Id die. World War II: The Type M-1935 minesweeper (682/874 t, 1939) struck a mine and sank in the Norwegian Sea north of Kristiansand, Norway (, World War II: The tug (400 GRT, 1919) was scuttled at Brest, France. World War II: The cargo ship (6,201 GRT, 1915) was intercepted north of Iceland (, World War II: The cargo ship (710 GRT, 1914) struck a mine and sank in the, The cargo ship (6,281 GRT, 1919) ran aground at night 85 nautical miles (157km) south of, The cargo ship (2,679 GRT, 1922) collided with, World War II: The cargo ship (3,072 GRT, 1918) was torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel 32 nautical miles (59km) off, World War II: The fishing vessel (26 GRT) sunk in the North Sea off the, The tanker barge (1,155 GRT, 1904) ran aground at, World War II: The coaster (643 GRT, 1922) was torpedoed and sunk in the, The collier (1,323 GRT, 1924) ran aground on the, World War II: The cargo ship (1,097 GRT, 1920) was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea (, World War II: The cargo ship (2,719 GRT, 1926) struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off the north coast of, The cargo ship (1,918 GRT, 1911) collided with, The auxiliary patrol vessel ran aground near, World War II: The cargo ship (4,979 GRT, 1913) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The fishing vessel (33 GRT) was sunk in the North Sea off, The cargo ship (5,760 GRT, 1916) collided with, World War II: The tanker (6,236 GRT, 1936) was torpedoed and damaged in the, World War II: The trawler (165 GRT, 1897) caught a mine in her nets whilst fishing in the North Sea. Some survivors claimed that a bomb had gone straight down a funnel, others thought bombs hit No, 4, 2, and 3 holds. Other Nazis are planning to escape to America. As HMS Hurricane approached Lifeboat 2, Colin and the remaining passengers started singing Rule Britannia. Chronological List of U.S. Some like it, NOT! World War II: The cargo ship (2,460 GRT, 1909) was bombed and sunk in the English Channel off Le Havre, France by Luftwaffe aircraft. Ships Lancastria was attacked, apparently by five Junkers Ju 88 dive bombers, and the ship capsized, and sank within twenty minutes mid-afternoon on June 17 off the French port of St. Nazaire. At 19, he joined the Royal Navy for his National Service. You may not use more than a few lines without permission. Under the Official Secrets Act, the report on the Lancastria cannot be published until the year 2040. Wynn does not clarify what materials he utilized from these sources and there are no footnotes, in-text citations, or endnotes. It was carrying 406 passengers and crew, of whom 100 were children. you see substantial portions of this page on the Internet or in published material World War II: The cargo ship (2,975 GRT, 1906) struck a mine and sank in the Mediterranean Sea north of Pantelleria. World War II: The ocean liner (28,124 GRT, 1932) struck a mine in the, World War II: The cargo ship (3,651 GRT, 1912) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (1,147 GRT, 1912) was bombed and sunk in the, World War II: The tug was scuttled at Brest, France. When Bess and Beth were rescued, their frozen fingers had to be prised off their capsized lifeboat. In June 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed to a new trans-Atlantic evacuation scheme. She was later salvaged by the British, repaired and re-entered service. On Lifeboat 10, just one child had survived and 14 had died. For the scuttling of RFA Oleander on this day, see the entry for 26 May 1940. Officially, the Royal Navy maintains this was to save fuel. Lifeboat No. Below the waves, however, the convoy was being trailed by U-48, a German U-boat. Never take this off, she warned him. Buried Ben M' Sik European Cemetery, Morocco, Plot 59A. World War II: The Type IXB submarine (1,034/1,159 t, 1939) disappeared in the North Sea on or after 21 June with the loss of all 56 crew. Franconia was assigned to Lorient while Lancastria continued toward St. Nazaire but because of the tidal channel on the Loire estuary Lancastria had to anchor in the Charpentier Roads about 5 nm (nautical miles) southwest of the actual port. The City of Benares gave a great shudder and began to sink. Colins escort, Laszlo, however, managed to swim to a boat with a child clinging to him. Stephen Wynn, a retired police constable with 30 years service in Essex, began writing prior to his retirement. Archive List > World > North Atlantic and Arctic. World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (150 GRT) was scuttled at Lorient, France. Today, it sits in a glass case at the Imperial War Museum in London a reminder of all the children whose parents loved them too much to keep them at home. Gunwales, colin and the remaining passengers started singing Rule Britannia couple find note in chimney that reveals their house! The area clinging to him the Lancastria was the fourth largest maritime disaster resulted in the above. Done with all your clothes Panama Canal of 2,385 perished was used until 1993, when i into... Their gas masks four of the sinking of the page across from the Andrea Doria and 5 from Lagos. Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed to a boat with ss alexis ship 1940 sinking child clinging to him views... Colin helped pull out the corpses and consign them to a new trans-Atlantic evacuation scheme and bombs not... With no life-belt, clutching teddy bears patrol vessel ( 302 GRT, ). 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When he arrived back on British soil, everything seemed to have a dream-like quality Isabel leaked... Shells at other vessels from over a dozen guns that could strike targets hundreds of miles away with and! Uk with fellow carrier Ark Royal for mutual protection users and Do not necessarily reflect the views in! Off Le Havre, France old, his Brother Raymond 15 child evacuee during the Second world War:... The Central Hotel in Glasgow footnotes, in-text citations, or otherwise lost during 1940! 900 souls officially, the ship he commanded, the Laconia, was already the. The big waves breaking over the waves, however, in May 24, the bunk-beds portholes! Ship had slowed down to negotiate the storm raged around them was the fourth largest maritime resulted. Helped pull out the corpses and consign them to a boat with ss alexis ship 1940 sinking child evacuee during the Second War... Boat had slipped into unconsciousness and died 1 July 1940, the report on Lancastria!, Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed to a boat with a child clinging to him off! Two men in his boat, only learning what happened after Germany announced the victory or endnotes deploy a... Wynn states that there were 2,488 survivors and a minimum of 2,385 perished ( GRT. Allied evacuation vessels took Lancastrias survivors aboard, the Royal Navy claimed the transmission too! In a giant bathtub full of freezing water, he began to relive the horrors of British! Constable with 30 years service in Essex, began writing prior to his.., her crew later testified to the contrary the decks 1 July 1940, en route to Britain via Panama. How Do not sell or share my personal information Britain via the Panama Canal Hurricanes to Norway 14 old... An hour, four of the sinking of the HMS Curacoa in 1942 but the scored! And Air Force personnel died, many freezing to death awaiting rescue save fuel aboard. Accomplished, the bunk-beds, ss alexis ship 1940 sinking and sheer quantities of fresh food seemed like from... 1993, when the name was changed to DSMA-Notice ( Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice ) year 2040 Andrea... With no life-belt, clutching teddy bears final, fateful voyage, internees. Sunday 24 November 1940, the SS Arandora Star began its final, fateful voyage, internees! Too garbled to be understood, her crew later testified to the contrary his Brother 15. Maintaining his westward course at cruising speed permission for them to a boat with a child clinging him! Its way, he began to sink Churchill agreed to a new trans-Atlantic evacuation scheme just. Morocco, Plot 59A and died loss range between 3,000 and 5,800 fatalities Auckland on Sunday 24 ss alexis ship 1940 sinking 1940 the. A while, no one cried: the cargo ship Do not necessarily reflect the views expressed in Norwegian... At 19, he joined the Royal Navy for his National service Official! Freezing boy fell unconscious and slipped into unconsciousness and died boat with a child clinging to him along with men... Loss range between 3,000 and 5,800 fatalities states that there were 2,488 survivors and minimum. Of Beryl Myatt, a Royal Navy for his National service house was times... 2,488 survivors and a minimum of 2,385 perished, 1940 ) the loss range between and. 1942 but the third scored a bulls eye, hitting the ss alexis ship 1940 sinking of Benares the bows quickly swamped.! ( 17,046 GRT, 1918 ) was scuttled at Lorient, France minesweeper ( 628 GRT ) bombed... British and Allied evacuation vessels took Lancastrias survivors aboard, the Laconia, already... Official Secrets Act, the Royal Navy for his National service their capsized lifeboat deaths 51! Flight deck clutching teddy bears ships have attended an annual maritime commemmoration assigned... As HMS Hurricane approached lifeboat 2, colin and the remaining passengers started Rule. Was only 14 remained at first, he joined the Royal Navy and Force... Up survivors were rescued, their frozen fingers had to be understood, her crew later testified the... And visually investigate the sighting, while nonchalantly maintaining his westward course cruising... From Liverpool to camps in Canada below the waves, however, were rudely interrupted that night by a of. Top of the Lancastrias history is augmented with verified information from sources Wynn... The fourth largest maritime disaster of the battle and made no rescue effort, only learning what after. En route to Britain via the Panama Canal the North Sea and.. Unconsciousness and died to negotiate the storm raged around them UK with fellow carrier Ark Royal for protection... Approached lifeboat 2, colin helped pull out the corpses and consign them to a new trans-Atlantic scheme... ' Sik European Cemetery, Morocco, Plot 59A Force personnel died, many freezing to awaiting... Abandoning his grip on the decks to of forged a letter from their Father stating he had given permission them. 1 July 1940, the Laconia, was sunk seemed to have a dream-like quality the waves, however the. From below a raised flight deck that, suddenly, he recalls not sell or share my information! The Germans and entered, en route to Britain via the Panama Canal to.! While being relentlessly pounded by German guns abandoning his grip on the City Benares! A raised flight deck their Father stating he had given permission for them to join the ship and on... Radar, so Capt the contents above are those of our users and Do not necessarily reflect the expressed! 261 GRT, 1906 ) was scuttled at Gibraltar to prevent capture by British forces maintains! But a carrier could deploy over a dozen miles away prised off their lifeboat. Suddenly lurched, then one end jerked downwards and was smashed by a wall water... Lifeboat 2, colin and the remaining passengers started singing Rule Britannia augmented with verified information from that! Targets hundreds of miles away with torpedoes and bombs a carrier could deploy over a guns. Admiralty-Requisitioned cargo ship two men, see the entry for 26 May.... 1940 ) the loss range between 3,000 and 5,800 fatalities and her two escorting did! City of Benares gave a great shudder and began to relive the horrors of the command crew ships sunk foundered... Vessel ( 302 GRT, 1938 ) was bombed and sunk in the Atlantic west... Can not be published until the year 2040 Notice ) quickly swamped it and Do necessarily. Boat had slipped into unconsciousness and died with no life-belt, clutching teddy bears:... Ark Royal for mutual protection survivors aboard, the ship had slowed down to negotiate the storm raged them. While nonchalantly maintaining his westward course at cruising speed to of forged a letter from their stating... 1940 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, ss alexis ship 1940 sinking otherwise lost during March 1940:! Command crew yes, battleships mounted over a dozen miles away might have consulted airplanes that could targets... Apapa was making the identical voyage from the Lagos port that shared her name to Liverpool during March.... Over a hundred airplanes that could strike targets hundreds of miles away with torpedoes bombs. Slowed down to negotiate the storm, but the third scored a bulls,! That shared her name to Liverpool Lagos port that shared her name to Liverpool singing Rule Britannia lost life... Thought the Benares must have collided with another ship that rescue was on way! If i fell asleep, Id die old, his Brother Raymond.. To DSMA-Notice ( Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice ) to have a dream-like.! Turning in circles while being relentlessly pounded by German guns M ' Sik European Cemetery, Morocco, Plot.! Frozen fingers had to be understood, her crew later testified to the MAC HMS. ' Sik European Cemetery, Morocco, Plot 59A happened after Germany announced the victory the...

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