Ships Sunk, Damaged or Captured December 1941 (82 ships), Chronological list of U.S. ships sunk or damaged, Geographical list of U.S. ships sunk or damaged, Alphabetical list of U.S. ships sunk or damaged, Merchant Marine Casualties Colin was assigned to Lifeboat 2. World War II: The cargo ship (3,546 GRT, 1906) struck a mine and sank in the, The cargo ship (5,393 or 5,106 GRT, 1918) ran aground in the, World War II: The cargo ship (5,820 GRT, 1921) was torpedoed, shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of. Empire Morn killed 26th April 1943 after his ship hit a mine. As it hovered over the waves, it suddenly lurched, then one end jerked downwards and was smashed by a wall of water. 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. 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 Glorious was one of the first flat-top aircraft carriers ever built, converted from a speedy Courageous-class battlecruiser in 1924. The SS Athenia was the first ship sunk by Germany in World War II and resulted in the death of 118 civilians. She once described him affectionately as a big child. 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. Colin was still trying to comfort his neighbour until a man told him she was dead. The reason? Four chapters are personal accounts from survivors or their close relatives. She was carrying between 800 and 1,200 people, mainly refugees, and most were lost when her ammunition cargo exploded. Delivered in 1929, she was a diesel-powered sister ship to the company's RMS Rangitata and RMS Rangitiki. The list of shipwrecks in March 1940 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during March 1940. Armed Guard Casualties 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. True, the ship had slowed down to negotiate the storm, but it was still ploughing in the right direction. In fact, HMS Hurricane, a Royal Navy destroyer, was already combing the area. His dreams, however, were rudely interrupted that night by a loud bang. 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. She did not return to Liverpool in time to take part in the famous Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk, which evacuated 338,226 Belgian, British, and French troops between May 26 and June 4,. Kenneth Lewis was only 14 years old, His Brother Raymond 15. Families of men from both ships have attended an annual maritime commemmoration . However, an exact number of Lancastrias casualties may never be known. The ship, carrying more than 400 passengers and crew, included a precious cargo of 90 evacuees under a scheme. 'Dreadful time': A letter sent by a survivor of the sinking to their parents tell of their horrendous experience on the sinking ship. you see substantial portions of this page on the Internet or in published material The 17th June 1940 saw one of the most horrific events of World War II and the single worst maritime disaster in British history. 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. Colin acted quickly. Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart Attack entries for Alexia If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us. Industry chief demands planned corporation tax hike from 19 to 25% in this Ukrainian soldier takes out five Russian tanks and three armoured vehicles in ONE DAY using US-supplied Ukraine 'hits major Russian air base in fresh strike' a day after kamikaze drone crashed down just 68 miles How did Russia lose HALF of its 45,000 elite paratroopers in just seven months? Row 1. World War II: The auxiliary minesweeper (481 GRT) was bombed and sunk at Dunkerque, France, by Luftwaffe aircraft. Below the waves, however, the convoy was being trailed by U-48, a German U-boat. The loss of the LANCASTRIA was also the most . At first, he thought the Benares must have collided with another ship. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. Photographs Beryl Myatt World War II: The cargo ship (7,405 GRT, 1914) was bombed and damaged in the Bay of Biscay off. web page as long as you cite American Merchant Marine at War, www.usmm.org, There were only 11 survivors. On Lifeboat 10, just one child had survived and 14 had died. 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. His recovery took months, and ended any thoughts hed had of a full-time career in the Navy. Then the boat up-ended, tossing out the rest. With his red life-jacket already on over his pyjamas, he headed up the stairs. How ironic it is that the second Apapa was making the identical voyage from the Lagos port that shared her name to Liverpool. World War II: The armed merchant cruiser (17,046 GRT, 1925) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. The rest of the convoy sailed on, obeying standing orders not to stay in a danger zone. There, he attended a local school until it was evacuated to Cornwall. 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. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not World War II: The tanker (7,333 GRT, 1914) was scuttled at Brest, France. 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. It was fourth English pounds. as the source. The first lifeboat it found contained only corpses. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe Watch on YouTube Hell Below 2 seasons . The SS Orama was built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness in 1924 for the Orient Line with accommodation for 1,700 passengers. The SS Andrea Doria was a flagship of the Italian Line. Not a member of the Naval Institute? She was subsequently salvaged by the Germans and re-entered service as. She simply said: Theres your ship. The wording was puzzling: at 11, hed obviously never served in the Merchant Navy. LANCASTRIA (June 17, 1940) The loss of the Lancastria was the fourth largest maritime disaster of the war. Theyd just woken up.. The X-class lighter (160 t, 1915) was wrecked on this date. The SS Goslar, a steamboat, was at port in Suriname when Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, causing the country (then a colony of the Netherlands) to begin to intern German men living in the . Ardent was finally caught darting out for another torpedo run and set ablaze by repeated hits. Just two weeks after being set up, it received more than 200,000 applications from worried parents for just 20,000 places. 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. I stayed on board the ship in 2011 and have always found the history of the ship to be fascinating. n Adapted from Blitz Kids: The Childrens War Against Hitler, by Sean Longden, to be published by Constable on March 15 at 20. You could see people running around on the decks. Another day nearer America! he remembers thinking. The Lancastria Tragedy: Sinking and Cover-Up, June 1940. Ships Sunk or Damaged in World War II If World War II: The auxiliary patrol vessel (1,160 GRT, 1934) struck a mine of Le Verdon-sur-Mer, France and was beached. Goodbye, Colin. He recalls feeling relieved that his buttoned-up family didnt go in for the kind of tearful scenes that were going on all around him. 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. World War II: The naval tug (100 GRT) was scuttled at Lorient, France. As Colin recalls, his mothers attitude was: Least said, soonest mended.. An elderly nurse beckoned him to her side, so he switched places. 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) was scuttled at, World War II: The cargo ship (3,594 GRT, 1920) was scuttled at Rochefort, France. You may not use more than a few lines without permission. World War II: The passenger ship (2,113 GRT, 1908) was bombed and sunk in the Norwegian Sea (. World War II: The cargo ship (1,828 GRT, 1923) with a German prize crew was proceeding behind the steamer Inger when she detonated a mine (laid by, World War II: The cargo ship (1,081 GRT, 1923) struck a mine and sank in, World War II: The passenger cargo vessel (10,076 or 9,349 GRT, 1912) was scuttled in the, World War II: The ferry-transport (2,949 GRT, 1920) was bombed and damaged at. World War II: The patrol boat (409 GRT, 1919) was scuttled at Le Verdon, France. And when he arrived back on British soil, everything seemed to have a dream-like quality. World War II: The auxiliary patrol vessel (247 GRT) was shelled and sunk in the English Channel off. When Bess and Beth were rescued, their frozen fingers had to be prised off their capsized lifeboat. Sold for scrap in August 1954 at Blyth. It was 10pm. Ships Sunk or Damaged 1939 to 1941 Ships Captured or Detained 1939 (80 ships) Ships Sunk, Damaged or Detained 1940 (48 ships) A2477018. Naval Documents of the American Revolution, - Naval Documents of the American Revolution, A History of the Naval Historical Foundation. Enough was enough, his parents decided, as the bombs began to fall. A tragedy in itself made worse by the fact they should never have been onboard to begin with. Hold No. 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. 'How much can business take?' They didnt have anyone at the ends holding it steady. Once filled, the lifeboat was lowered into the raging sea. Fortunately for Colin, he was better off than some: he had his padded life-jacket, a balaclava and a pair of string gloves that his mother had put in his pockets. This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 08:28. World War II: The cargo ship was scuttled in, World War II: The tanker (4,995 GRT, 1913) was partially sunk by British commandos in the, World War II: The tanker (6,101 GRT) was scuttled at, World War II: The cargo ship (6,470 GRT) was scuttled at, World War II: The trawler (203 GRT) was bombed and sunk in the. The term RMS dates to 1840 when only the fastest and most reliable ships were contracted by the British government to carry mail. 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. Colins escort, Laszlo, however, managed to swim to a boat with a child clinging to him. At 11, Colin was already a veteran of wartime upheavals. Find out how you can use this. And the cowboys eating around campfires.. 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. Many years later, I was asked by my father, Oliver Gleasure (Irish Guards) to find the book, so he could gift it to my uncle. 8 was the first to be lowered. Warships, submarines, tankers, cargo, passenger, troopships and so on. She was later salvaged by the Germans and entered service as. "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. This is the story of Michael McShane and how he survived the sinking of the SS Athenia, the first ship torpedoed by a U-boat in World War II. She looked at me and said: What have you done with all your clothes? he says. It was like sitting in a giant bathtub full of freezing water, he recalls. Meanwhile, hail and rain continued to fall. "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. All six crew survived. He was saved by a fellow passenger, but died minutes later. 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 subsequently salvaged and repaired by the Germans and entered. A few minutes later, he watched helplessly as the waves washed away the mast and oars. 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 . DOyly-Hughes ordered the destroyer Ardent to turn about and visually investigate the sighting, while nonchalantly maintaining his westward course at cruising speed. From the half-submerged Lifeboat 2, Colin watched as the Benares sank below the waves. In seconds, they were gone. But he couldnt. Most likely rammed and sunk Oct. 4; 1940 by Antonietta Costa (Italian Cargo ship) 60 NM ENE of Bari . World War II:The auxiliary minesweeper (628 GRT) was scuttled at Le Havre, France. Measuring some 697 feet (212 metres) in length, it could carry . Therefore, destroyers, fishing boats, and other small craft had to ferry the evacuees to Lancastria while being bombed and machine-gunned by the Luftwaffes Junkers Ju 11 bombers of Kampfgeschwader 30. A German submarine torpedoed the ship hours after Britain declared war on Hitler in 1939 - more than 100 people, including many Americans, were killed. Some survivors claimed that a bomb had gone straight down a funnel, others thought bombs hit No, 4, 2, and 3 holds. After being pulled up by a rope to the Hurricane, Colin was still so cold he could feel nothing below the waist. Stephen Wynn, a retired police constable with 30 years service in Essex, began writing prior to his retirement. please notify usmm.org @ comcast.net, Taken to Norway; Soviet Unio; Norway; released Battleships accompanied by other surface warships did directly engage carriers one more time in World War II during the Battle of Samar, though this time the U.S. carriers air wings participated in the fight leading to a very different, though no less dramatic outcome. DOyly kicked Heath off the ship and departed on missions to ferry Royal Air Force Gladiators and Hurricanes to Norway. For the scuttling of RFA Oleander on this day, see the entry for 26 May 1940. The maritime disaster resulted in the deaths of 51 people46 from the Andrea Doria and 5 from the Stockholm. They werent the only parents desperate to send their children abroad. Under the Official Secrets Act, the report on the Lancastria cannot be published until the year 2040. 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. useful bibliography and discussion. Britain Ship Losses 1940 This page records the details of every British ship lost during the two world wars, including pictures where possible. 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. 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