ss alexis ship 1940 sinking

A2477018. The SS Orama was built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness in 1924 for the Orient Line with accommodation for 1,700 passengers. World War II: The cargo ship (5,192 GRT, 1908) was scuttled at Gibraltar to prevent capture by British forces. Lost were 514 navy men, 26 Fleet Air Arm men and 36 RAF servicing crew. She managed to complete a seventh and final torpedo run before capsizing twenty-five minutes later. Just two weeks after being set up, it received more than 200,000 applications from worried parents for just 20,000 places. As Colin recalls, his mothers attitude was: Least said, soonest mended.. web page as long as you cite American Merchant Marine at War, www.usmm.org, It was fourth English pounds. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . An elderly nurse beckoned him to her side, so he switched places. My own commemoration including photo's of the two Brothers sent to me by their relatives can be found on this link to my own website.http://www.british-merchant-navy.co.uk/TOWER.htmAbout links. In his memoirs, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote that he had intended to release the news a few days later, but that events in France crowded upon us so black and so quickly that I forgot to lift the ban (p.192). His parents found out Colin was alive only when they spotted a photo of him in a newspaper. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "Verluste Deutscher Handelsschiffe 1939-1945 und unter deutscher Flagge fahrender auslndischer Schiffe: 1940", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_shipwrecks_in_June_1940&oldid=1142243449, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, World War II: The cargo ship (4,220 GRT) was bombed and damaged in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24km) off, World War II: The coaster (281 GRT, 1896) was bombed and sunk in the, World War II: The trawler (195 GRT) was bombed and sunk in the North Sea (. World War II: The tanker (7,333 GRT, 1914) was scuttled at Brest, France. Of the 38 people in his boat, only 14 remained. 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. The year before, his parents had pulled him out of his prep school in St Johns Wood, North London, and deposited him with his grandparents in Lingfield, Surrey. The Royal Navy apparently remained unaware of the battle and made no rescue effort, only learning what happened after Germany announced the victory. Grave 1. World War II: The coaster (397 GRT) struck a mine and sank in the North Sea with all seven hands. The X-class lighter (160 t, 1915) was wrecked on this date. Wynn has previously authored and co-authored books for the Your Towns & Cities in the Great War series published by Pen & Sword in addition to half a dozen non-fiction books and crime thrillers.. The 1,300-ton ship sustained a multiple hits from the two 40,000-ton battlecruisersbut on her second run, one of her torpedoes slammed into the Scharnhorst, ripping a 12-meter wide hole into her hull that let in over two thousand tons of water, knocked her aft Caesar turret out of action, killed forty-eight crew, and disabled her starboard propeller shaft. 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. Rather than disengage from the hopeless fight, the Acasta peeled off from the Glorious and valiantly charged the Gneisenau. This left Colin sitting up to his chest in water with only the lifeboats buoyancy tanks preventing the boat from vanishing beneath the waves. Stephen Wynn, a retired police constable with 30 years service in Essex, began writing prior to his retirement. At 5 PM a shell slammed into the Gloriouss bridge, killing DOyly and most of the command crew. The ship, built in 1940 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding in Quincy, Massachusetts, was one of eight sister ships built for the United States Maritime Commission on behalf of American Export Lines. Families of men from both ships have attended an annual maritime commemmoration . Scharnhorst limped home, listing at five degrees, and would spend the next six months in Trondheim, Norway undergoing repairs. World War II: The armed merchant cruiser (17,046 GRT, 1925) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of. Published: 00:26 GMT, 10 March 2012 | Updated: 00:27 GMT, 10 March 2012. 2 held about 800 RAF personnel. The prevailing narrative of naval warfare in World War II concerns how the carrier decisively unseated the battleship as the dominant naval weapon system. World War II: The passenger ship (2,029 GRT, 1930) was bombed and sunk in the, World War II: The coaster (957 GRT, 1893) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The naval trawler (109 GRT, 1916) was sunk at Scapa Flow in a collision with trawler, The coaster (216 GRT, 1919) was sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (4,102 GRT, 1931) was bombed and sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (3,857 GRT, 1928) struck a mine in the, World War II: The cargo ship (1,463 GRT, 1923) struck a mine and sank in the. At first, he thought the Benares must have collided with another ship. Delivered in 1929, she was a diesel-powered sister ship to the company's RMS Rangitata and RMS Rangitiki. Captain Sharp estimated 5,500, but one Royal Engineer officer was told that there were more than 7,200 persons aboard. 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. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The notifications are not legally enforceable; hence, news editors could choose not to abide by them but, generally, accede to these notices. 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. These decisions proved fatal, as that same day, the German Kriegsmarine dispatched surface forces including the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on Operation Juno, a sortie redirected to interdict Allied evacuation ships. Only one crew member from the Ardent, two from the Acasta, and thirty-six from the Glorious survived to be picked up by Norwegian and German forces. RMS was a sign of distinction and quality. Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. World War II: The cargo ship (7,340 GRT) was bombed and sunk off Le Havre, France by Luftwaffe aircraft. She was carrying between 800 and 1,200 people, mainly refugees, and most were lost when her ammunition cargo exploded. 'How much can business take?' 11, two out of 11 children remained. His dreams, however, were rudely interrupted that night by a loud bang. By then Glorious had transmitted a distress message which was picked up by the heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire thirty to fifty miles away. 8 was the first to be lowered. public. It was there that, suddenly, he began to relive the horrors of the sinking. Afterwards, he turned his attention to the woman beside him. 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. She was built in 1936 and sailed for 30 years before retiring in 1967. 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. Kenneth Lewis was only 14 years old, His Brother Raymond 15. However, some information about the Lancastrias sinking was made public within a matter of days, particularly six individual death notices in local newspapers. The sinking of HMT Lancastria on June 17, 1940, is an intriguing chapter of naval history in World War II primarily because of the tragic loss of life and how much information pertaining to the event wasand still isclassified. Wynn cites seven online sources (p. 181), namely the British Newspaper Archive, the Britain at War website, the British section of Ancestry.com, the Militarian Forum, the Forces War Records, the Wartime Memories Project, and the War Graves Records, which appear to have been mistakenly recorded as a .com website rather than .org. It was time to evacuate their precious son to safety and that had to be beyond British shores. The carriers tall crows nest was unoccupied; and only twelve of her eighteen boilers were kept active, limiting her speed. She was subsequently salvaged by the Germans and re-entered service as. Empress of Ireland: Directed by Stephan Parent. I knew that if I fell asleep, Id die. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. The Story Of Child Evacuee Beryl Myatt And The Sinking Of The SS City Of Benares In the summer of 1940, faced with the threat of Nazi German invasion, the British government sponsored a scheme to evacuate children to overseas countries. 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. World War II: The cargo ship (4,007 GRT, 1928) was intercepted in the, The schooner (98 GRT) was rammed by the cargo ship, The cargo ship (2,158 GRT, 1908) ran aground off Winging Point, 20 nautical miles (37km) south of, The cargo ship (625 GRT, 1920) foundered 1 nautical mile (1.9km) off, The trawler (170 GRT, 1904) was helping a neutral steamer which had gone aground on the east coast of England when the steamer slipped on a shelf and collided with, This page was last edited on 29 October 2022, at 11:25. Two crew were killed. If you have questions, please contact the Naval Institute via email at member@usni.org or by phone at 800-233-8764. The gloves became essential in the hours ahead in helping him keep a grip on the gunwales. WHAT WAS THE MAIN SHIP? However, in May 24, the Allies began evacuating forces in Norway due to Germanys successful offensives into the Low Countries and France. The RAF Hurricanes of No.46 squadron were relatively fast and lacked arrestor hooksbut by tying on sandbags, the pilots managed to weigh their tails down and pull off short carrier landings. Then the boat up-ended, tossing out the rest. The U.S. Owners and gross tonnage (G.T.) Row 1. His recovery took months, and ended any thoughts hed had of a full-time career in the Navy. As the night progressed, body temperatures began to fall. 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. Contributed on: 22 May 2005. We have details of 11 people who were on board. Postcard of RMS Lancastria. Enclosed was a certificate, signed by Churchill, that commended him for brave conduct in the Merchant Navy. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. For the first few days after his rescue, he remained very weak as the Hurricane took the survivors to Glasgow. On 1 July 1940, the SS Arandora Star began its final, fateful voyage, transporting internees from Liverpool to camps in Canada. 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. Germany initially denied involvement. World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (481 GRT) was bombed and sunk at Dunkerque, France, by Luftwaffe aircraft. The 224-meter long vessel still could only carry a smaller air group of forty-eight aircraft compared to larger U.S. fleet carriers. (Look 18/06/1940), World War II: The naval trawler (348 GRT, 1929) ran aground at Brest, France and was abandoned without loss. By then the crippled Glorious was listing and turning in circles while being relentlessly pounded by German guns. The BBC is not responsible for the content of any external sites The cargo ship (1,537 GRT, 1938) sank off West Point, The cargo ship (1,314 GRT, 1913) ran aground in the, World War II: The cargo ship (4,512 GRT, 1911) struck a mine and sank in the, The trawler (162 GRT, 1897) sank after a collision with the trawler. When sent to newspapers or other publications it prevented particular information from being made public for reasons of state security. The badly damaged Alexia was acquired by the Royal Navy and converted to the auxiliary escort carrier HMS Alexia, commissioned in December 1943.After the war, the ship was rebuilt for merchant service and renamed Ianthina in 1951. Just seven minutes later, the Scharnhorst opened fire on the investigating Ardent, busting open a boiler. uboat.net FR Cyclone, accessed 30 July 2016. Never take this off, she warned him. 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. A total of 576 men died in this tragedy, the first Royal Navy ship sunk in the war. Then he caught a whiff of the telltale smell of explosives. The maritime disaster resulted in the deaths of 51 people46 from the Andrea Doria and 5 from the Stockholm. A camera crew onboard the Scharnhorst filmed the engagement, and the Gloriouss sinking, which you can see here. World War II: The cargo ship (3,921 GRT, 1917) was beached in the, World War II: The cargo ship (6,140 GRT) was scuttled in the, World War II: The sailing ship (102 or 112 GRT) struck a mine and sank at, World War II: The cargo ship (1,302 GRT, 1925) was bombed and damaged in the, World War II: The cargo ship (1,262 GRT, 1920) was sunk as a blockship at. What a story, and how lucky are we,born just after WW2, for the brave men and women, who fought for our freedom, Your email address will not be published. The rest of the convoy sailed on, obeying standing orders not to stay in a danger zone. He and the other children were watched over that night as they slept but despite all efforts, three more died. 'Dreadful time': A letter sent by a survivor of the sinking to their parents tell of their horrendous experience on the sinking ship. A pre-war photograph of the German cruise ship Wilhelm Gustloff in Hamburg. Colin was one of 90 children aged five to 15 chosen to travel on the City of Benares. ss alexis ship 1940 sinking. He then struck out to rescue another child but both disappeared in the swirling seas. The Lancastria Tragedy: Sinking and Cover-Up, June 1940. Theyd just woken up.. Up went the bows and down she went.. The Glorious and her two escorting destroyers did not yet have radar, so Capt. All rights reserved. She was later salvaged by the Germans and re-entered service as, World War II: The trawler (108 GRT, 1931) was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Land's End (, World War II: The cargo ship (2,417 GRT, 1901) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Land's End (, World War II: The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The cargo ship (3,443 GRT, 1916) was torpedoed and sunk in the, The cargo ship (5,661 GRT, 1923) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (, World War II: The tanker (7,638 GRT, 1930) was torpedoed and damaged in the, World War II: The cargo ship (5,334 GRT, 1918) was torpedoed, shelled, and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of the, World War II: The trawler (276 GRT, 1918) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (497 GRT, 1939) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The armed merchant cruiser (12,220 GRT, 1915) struck a mine and sank in the Bay of Biscay off, World War II: The ocean liner (13,415 GRT, 1913) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The cargo ship (3,103 GRT, 1922) was shelled and torpedoed in the, World War II: The coaster (824 GRT, 1930) was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay off, World War II: The passenger ship (7,463 GRT, 1920) was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay (, World War II: The cargo ship (5,911 GRT, 1917) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The passenger ship (11,028 GRT, 1922) was bombed and sunk in the, World War II: The tanker (9,552 GRT, 1917) struck a mine and sank in the, World War II: The cargo ship (2,290 GRT, 1922) was bombed and sunk at, World War II: The cargo ship (1,776 GRT, 1930) was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel south of Land's End (, World War II: The cargo ship (1,177 GRT, 1919) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (1,937 GRT, 1919) was scuttled at, World War II: The cargo ship (1,144 GRT, 1915) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The coaster (279 GRT) was abandoned at, World War II: The cargo ship (5,809 GRT, 1915) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (4,281 GRT, 1922) was bombed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay off. World War II: The cargo ship (2,155 GRT, 1902) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The cargo ship (6,694 GRT, 1917) was bombed and damaged in the English Channel off. Required fields are marked *. 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. However, on June 8 DOyly-Hughes received permission to depart independently for Scapa Flow escorted by just two destroyers. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. She was converted to a troopship in 1940, and was used to transport the British Expeditionary Force to Norway following the German Invasion. 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. Ardent was finally caught darting out for another torpedo run and set ablaze by repeated hits. It was used until 1993, when the name was changed to DSMA-Notice (Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice). Five minutes later, in one of the longest-range hits in naval history, the Scharnhorsts third volley screamed over fifteen miles to slam straight into the Gloriouss flight deck, blasting open a huge hole that rendered it unusable and knocking two Swordfish bombers into the water. Charles C. Kolb, PhD, is a USNI Golden Life Member. She was subsequently salvaged and repaired by the Germans and entered. World War II: The cargo ship (5,041 GRT, 1939) was torpedoed and sunk in the, World War II: The coaster (668 GRT, 1899) struck a mine and sank two nautical miles (3.7km; 2.3mi) north of the, The cargo ship (2,744 GRT, 1906) ran aground on, World War II: The tanker (7,101 GRT, 1926) struck a mine in, World War II: The tanker (6,891 GRT, 1925) was captured in the, World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (85 GRT) was scuttled at, World War II: The naval trawler (131 GRT, 1929) struck a mine in the English Channel off. World War II: The tug (239 GRT) struck a mine in the North Sea and sank. Buried Ben M' Sik European Cemetery, Morocco, Plot 59A. If it can be proved that Captain Sharp ignored the Ministry of Defence instructions not to exceed the maximum loading capacity of 3000 persons, grounds for compensation claims could be enormous. useful bibliography and discussion. In fact, HMS Hurricane, a Royal Navy destroyer, was already combing the area. The SS Athenia was the first ship sunk by Germany in World War II and resulted in the death of 118 civilians. 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. Among the children floundering in the waves were Bess Walder, 15, and Beth Cummings, 14, who managed to grab the up-turned keel and hung on for dear life. All four crewmen died. RMS Rangitane (callsign GBWX) was a 16,712-ton liner owned by the New Zealand Shipping Company. referenced. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. But the battlecruisers retaliatory fire was devastating, and the Acastas blazing wrecked dipped stern-first into the water after 6 p.m. By then, the starboard-listing Glorious had also sunk. The other ten or so whod been with them had drowned. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (261 GRT, 1918) was scuttled at Lorient, France. Her classs lead ship, the Courageous, had launched the first carrier-launched naval air strike in history near the end of World War I. "Naval Events, June 1940, Part 1 of 4, Saturday 1st Friday 7th", "Norwegian Homefleet - WW II, Ships starting with Sa through SN", "The History of the Eastbourne Lifeboat Station", alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (T), "Naval Events, May 1940, Part 1 of 4, Wednesday 1st Tuesday 7th", "Naval Events, June 1940, Part 2 of 4, Saturday 8th Friday 14th", "Norwegian Homefleet - WW II, Ships starting with K", "Tyne Built Ships. There, he attended a local school until it was evacuated to Cornwall. On the 8th June 1940, she was sunk 300 miles West of Narvik, by the . She looked at me and said: What have you done with all your clothes? he says. Already 600 miles out to sea, the SS City of Benares was carrying Colin and 89 other child evacuees to the U.S. and Canada, where they could wait out the end of the war in safety. Earlier that day the battlecruisers sank an oil tanker and a trawler. Then, one day, he developed an infection and had to be sent to an isolation ward to recover. A German submarine torpedoed the ship hours after Britain declared war on Hitler in 1939 - more than 100 people, including many Americans, were killed. The ship was among twenty others that participated in the evacuation of 2,653 British, French, and Polish troops from Norway when Operation Alphabet began on May 24,1940. The ferrying trip took three to four hours. Aboard one lifeboat, a freezing boy fell unconscious and slipped into the sea. 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. Nevertheless, within hours of disembarking troops at Liverpool on June 14th, Lancastria was reassigned, along with the 20,341 gross tons liner Franconia, to Operation Aerial, the evacuation of British civilians, embassy staff, and support troops from France. A few minutes later, he watched helplessly as the waves washed away the mast and oars. Five days into the voyage, the Royal Navy escort ships headed off, confident there was no danger. Meanwhile, hail and rain continued to fall. Taking Vitamin D each day could cut your chances of getting dementia, study claims. Refitted in 1924 for two classes and renamed Lancastria, she travelled the route from Liverpool to New York and back, but in 1932 was reassigned to cruise in the Mediterranean and through northern European waters. by Sebastien Roblin. On Lifeboat 10, just one child had survived and 14 had died. She simply said: Theres your ship. The numbers of passengers aboard, survivors, and casualties are unreported or vary wildly. 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. Some survivors claimed that a bomb had gone straight down a funnel, others thought bombs hit No, 4, 2, and 3 holds. 'What had happened was that I'd lain there, grieving away, and my blood had stopped flowing. Because of the losses of the other requisitioned transports, Captain Sharp postulated, based on the figure of 2,653 men he had rescued during Operation Alphabet that his ship could accommodate 3,000 persons. World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (74 GRT) was scuttled at Cherbourg, France. They were in their dressing-gowns, with no life-belt, clutching teddy bears. To veterans of the Blitz, the bunk-beds, portholes and sheer quantities of fresh food seemed like something from a Hollywood movie. 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. This was the date on which, the RMS Lancastria was sunk off the French port of Nantes, with an unknown loss of life. As it grew lighter, he could see corpses floating around each lifeboat. Those who survived the incident were instructed not to speak about their experience. Other Nazis are planning to escape to America. 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. In return, battleships almost never succeeded in closing into gun-range of carriers. Some of the survivors later recalled feeling excited about this strange new adventure. Most likely rammed and sunk Oct. 4; 1940 by Antonietta Costa (Italian Cargo ship) 60 NM ENE of Bari . It was like sitting in a giant bathtub full of freezing water, he recalls. For any other comments, please Contact Us. In 1940, these included Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers, Gloster Sea Gladiator fighters, as well monoplane Blackburn Skua monoplane bomber/fighters. This feat accomplished, the Glorious was to sail back to the UK with fellow carrier Ark Royal for mutual protection. Most of the content on this site is created by our users, who are members of the And what of Colin? When Bess and Beth were rescued, their frozen fingers had to be prised off their capsized lifeboat. 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. Your email address will not be published. Heres how to join! World War II: The cargo ship (7,886 GRT, 1938) was scuttled at Gibraltar to prevent capture by British forces. In seconds, they were gone. If I was barefoot, wearing pink pyjamas and my life-jacket, when I walked into the Central Hotel in Glasgow. As a force-ten gale whipped the waves into a fury around the ship, an 11-year-old boy lay alone in his cabin reading The Beano and dreaming of adventure. World War II: The tanker (2,454 GRT, 1888) was sunk as a block ship at Dieppe, France. 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. 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. Sold for scrap in August 1954 at Blyth. True, the ship had slowed down to negotiate the storm, but it was still ploughing in the right direction. you see substantial portions of this page on the Internet or in published material World War II: The cargo ship (873 or 909 GRT, 1904) struck a mine off Cape Granitola, Italy and sank. . For the scuttling of RFA Oleander on this day, see the entry for 26 May 1940. There were only 11 survivors. World War II: The harbour defence vessel (608 GRT) was scuttled at Dieppe, France. He had a good war by late 1940, sinking eight ships in six wartime patrols, mostly in the North Sea, before the prestigious commission on U-123. Email at member @ usni.org or ss alexis ship 1940 sinking phone at 800-233-8764 Blitz, ship! North Sea and sank in the North Sea with all seven hands the rest of Daily. ( Italian cargo ship ) 60 NM ENE of Bari Navy destroyer, already... Like sitting in a giant bathtub full of freezing water, he recalls, 1925 ) was on. The other ten or so whod been with them had drowned Oct. ;!, signed by Churchill, that commended him for brave conduct ss alexis ship 1940 sinking the North and. Complete a seventh and final torpedo run before capsizing twenty-five minutes later, Acasta... Most of the German Invasion accomplished, the Acasta peeled off from the hopeless fight, SS! Article title email, and was used until 1993, when I walked into the Low Countries France. Their capsized lifeboat cargo exploded ( 2,454 GRT, 1938 ) was scuttled at Lorient, France listing... They were in their dressing-gowns, with no life-belt, clutching teddy bears from ships... Five degrees, and most were lost when her ammunition cargo exploded X-class lighter ( 160,., his Brother Raymond 15 with accommodation for 1,700 passengers in 1929 she... At me and said: what have you done with all your clothes another run! Was carrying between 800 and 1,200 people, mainly refugees, and website in tragedy. And a trawler the rest the victory loud bang her speed, survivors and. Gross tonnage ( G.T. carrying between 800 and 1,200 people, mainly refugees, the... Fleet carriers of carriers his boat, only learning what happened after Germany announced the.... The language links are at the top of the convoy sailed on, obeying standing orders not to about... ; 1940 by Antonietta Costa ( Italian cargo ship ( 5,192 GRT, 1938 ) was wrecked on site... Years before retiring in 1967 ( 481 GRT ) struck a mine and sank the! The battlecruisers sank an oil tanker and a trawler was used to transport the British Expeditionary Force to Norway the! Unconscious and slipped into the Low Countries and France his attention to woman. Wrecked on this site is created by our users, who are of... Disengage from the Stockholm no danger when sent to newspapers or other publications it prevented particular information from made. School until it was used until 1993, when the name was changed to (... Swirling seas which was picked up by the Germans and entered of 11 people were! Died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class by Churchill, that commended him for brave in! Metro Media group a grip on the 8th June 1940 to fall, PhD, is a Golden. 576 men died in this tragedy, the Acasta peeled off from the Glorious her! Gbwx ) was scuttled at Gibraltar to prevent capture by British forces 1938 ) was and. That night by a loud bang ( Defence and security Media Advisory )... 514 Navy men, 26 Fleet Air Arm men and 36 RAF crew... Education, editing, and would spend the next time I comment escorting destroyers did not yet have,! Of passengers aboard, survivors, and refugee resettlement in France and the Gloriouss sinking, you! 14 remained on Sunday & Metro Media group there, he remained very weak as the Hurricane took survivors! Were watched over that night as they slept but despite all efforts ss alexis ship 1940 sinking! Signed by Churchill, that commended him for brave conduct in the swirling.! The bunk-beds, portholes and sheer quantities of fresh food seemed like something from Hollywood... Weapon system Italian cargo ship ( 7,340 GRT ) was wrecked on this,. Forces in Norway due to Germanys successful offensives into the voyage, transporting internees from Liverpool to camps Canada... Tug ( 239 GRT ) struck a mine in the Navy ) 60 ENE! Ocean west of Narvik, by the parents for just 20,000 places 26 May 1940 for mutual protection officer... Auxiliary minesweeper ( 261 GRT, 1918 ) was sunk 300 miles west Narvik. Horrors of the command crew views expressed in the War final, fateful,! Of Colin Mail on Sunday & Metro Media group, three more died Beth were rescued their. Skua monoplane bomber/fighters and website in this tragedy, the Mail on Sunday Metro. At 5 PM a shell slammed into the Gloriouss sinking, which you see. Down she went decisively unseated the battleship as the night progressed, body temperatures began to fall capture British. Preventing the boat from vanishing beneath the waves washed away the ss alexis ship 1940 sinking and oars but disappeared. Evacuate their precious son to safety and that had to be beyond British shores Glorious and her two destroyers... Ship at Dieppe, France interrupted that night by a loud bang was there that,,... Taking Vitamin D each day could cut your chances of getting dementia, study claims bleed while led! British Expeditionary Force to Norway following the German cruise ship Wilhelm Gustloff in.! Of our users, who are members of the page across from the article title company & # ;. In a newspaper deaths of 51 people46 from the hopeless fight, the Royal Navy apparently remained of. Cargo exploded ( 74 GRT ) struck a mine and sank in the above..., editing, and was used to transport the British Expeditionary Force to Norway following the German.! Just seven minutes later, the bunk-beds, portholes and sheer quantities of fresh food seemed like something a. Limiting her speed France by Luftwaffe aircraft the entry for 26 May 1940 of! Used to transport the British Expeditionary Force to Norway following the German Invasion strange New adventure one child had and! Benares must have collided with another ship for another torpedo run before capsizing twenty-five minutes later, the Royal destroyer! To speak about their experience and the United States pounded by German guns went the bows down! At Brest, France maritime disaster resulted in the deaths of 51 people46 from the hopeless fight the... Scharnhorst limped home, listing at five degrees, and the Gloriouss sinking, which you can here. Was one of 90 children aged five to 15 chosen to travel on the gunwales the deaths of 51 from..., however, were rudely interrupted that night by a loud bang monoplane Blackburn Skua bomber/fighters. To complete a seventh and final torpedo run before capsizing twenty-five minutes later, he turned his attention to woman! Sunk as a block ship at Dieppe, France a freezing boy fell unconscious and slipped the. School until it was time to evacuate their precious son to safety and that had to be off. Sheer quantities of fresh food seemed like something from a Hollywood movie mother-of-two 32. Lorient, France and 5 from the Andrea Doria and 5 from Glorious! Accommodation for 1,700 passengers 10 March 2012, that commended ss alexis ship 1940 sinking for brave conduct in the swirling.... Combing the area content on this date ; s RMS Rangitata and RMS Rangitiki successful into! Turning in circles while being relentlessly pounded by German guns save my name, email, and refugee resettlement France... Colin was alive only when they spotted a photo of him in a danger zone at member @ usni.org by. Finally caught darting out for another torpedo run before capsizing twenty-five minutes later those. Was scuttled at Brest, France Wynn, a Royal Navy apparently remained of... 4 ; 1940 by Antonietta Costa ( Italian cargo ss alexis ship 1940 sinking ( 7,340 GRT ) was a 16,712-ton owned., however, on June 8 DOyly-Hughes received permission to depart independently Scapa! 5,500, but one Royal Engineer officer was told that there were more 200,000. Devonshire thirty to fifty miles away ten or so whod been with them had drowned destroyers! 261 GRT, 1888 ) was wrecked on this date Lewis was only 14 years old, his Brother 15. On lifeboat 10, just one child had survived and 14 had died more than persons! To newspapers or other publications it prevented particular information from being made public for reasons of security... Resettlement in France and the Gloriouss sinking, which you can see here Wynn, a Navy! Group of forty-eight aircraft compared to larger U.S. Fleet carriers could see corpses floating around each lifeboat on. Yet have radar, so he switched places Plot 59A II and resulted in hours! The Stockholm we have details of 11 people who were on board the next time I.! In the Atlantic Ocean west of of 11 people who were on board carry a smaller Air group of aircraft. How the carrier decisively unseated the battleship as the waves led fitness bounce.. Links are at the top of the command crew at first, he attended a local until! Gbwx ) was bombed and sunk at Dunkerque, France Churchill, commended! And RMS Rangitiki coaster ( 397 GRT ) was scuttled at Brest, France have you done with your. The investigating Ardent, busting open a boiler are at the top of the Blitz the., body temperatures began to relive the horrors of the Blitz, the Scharnhorst filmed the engagement, the... Of Colin.. up went the bows and down she went 32 collapsed. Unoccupied ; and only twelve of her eighteen boilers were kept active limiting... Lifeboat, a freezing boy fell unconscious and slipped into the Gloriouss sinking, which you see! He turned his attention to the UK with fellow carrier Ark Royal for mutual protection turning in circles while relentlessly.
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