RMS Lancastria sunk 17-June 1940 query

[PF]

Would all the British military/civilian dead of the French campaign who are listed as having died 17-6-1940-be the result of the RMS Lancastria sinking?

[Andy H]

Would all the British military/civilian dead of the French campaign who are listed as having died 17-6-1940-be the result of the RMS Lancastria sinking?

Hi PF

Not knowing what figure/source your basing your statement on, its impossible to give anything more than some vague thoughts and information.

The actual death toll for the Lancastria is somewhere between 4500 and 5000 if memory serves.
The fact that no accurate figure exists for the actual numbers on board when she sank-Though estimated numbers are in the 7000 region-doesn't help in formualting an accurate figure. The actual Government report isnt due for release till 2040.

I wouldn't find it beyond the possibility that though the main fighting was ending in France, a large number of British personnel remained to be evacuated and that in some of these circumstances that deaths occured either through accident or rearguard actions on the date in question.

Regards

Andy H

[Oracle]

I have just checked my notes and the Canadian 1st Division evacuated safely out of Brest on the 17th, arriving in Southampton on the 18th. I seem to recall that they "lost" a handful of men from the time that they landed. One may have been killed beforhand in an accident, but I can't confirm. I believe one was in hospital and became a POW and one ended up in Spain having escaped the advancing Germans. You can therefore discount any Canadian personnel being killed on the day of the disaster.

[Voice of Truth]

"The actual Government report isnt due for release till 2040. "

Great! I'll be 73 years young when it's released. I'm looking forward to it! I hope I live long enough to see all these wartime secrets opened up.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little complement..........................

THE MERCHANT NAVY AT WAR. SS. Lancastria.

CAPTAIN'S STORY.

We left Quiberon Bay that night [16th of June] at midnight and anchored in the Carpenter Roads, St. Nazaire, at 4 a.m. on the 17th June. We lay at anchor in 12 fathoms of water, and from 8 a.m. on the 17th until noon we embarked 5,200 troops and a number of refugees including women and children. After 12 o'clock we had to wait for completion of our embarkation and for the other ships and the destroyers which were to escort us to our destination.

The Oransay was lying 4 cables from us at anchor. At 1.48 p.m. the enemy flew over and dropped bombs which hit the Oransay. After that, we expected an air attack at any time. The boats were turned out ready for lowering, and the crew divided into two watches with instructions to do nothing else but stand by the boats, except when the A.R.P. signal was sounded, when they were to go down to their fire stations, clearing everyone off the upper deck.

Our own planes were flying over all the time. The crew had been going to and from their A.R.P. stations at intervals from 2 p.m. At about 3.45 p.m. the ship's A.R.P. alarm was blown on mouth whistles, and the electrically operated gongs were rung below. At this signal everyone was to take cover, but we had so many on board that actually it was impossible for everyone to get under cover.

I was in my cabin when the officer on watch gave the alarm. I immediately went on to the bridge and had just reached the wheelhouse when the ship was struck by a salvo of 4 bombs which cut off all communication and started fires fore and aft. I did not even see the aeroplane. The four bombs, which were all high explosive, struck the ship simultaneously in the most vital parts; one went down the funnel, the other three striking No. 4, No. 3 and No. 2 hatches, shattering the hatch boards, which were covered with steel plates, timbers and ladders.

We had a number of 3-inch high-angle guns on board and at least a dozen machine guns. The two officers on watch, one on the bridge and another on the after bridge, let go all their ammunition, and the rest of the guns were all blazing away.

From that time until the ship' sank the scene was one of confusion, as I could make no communication with any part of the ship. Some of the soldiers who were unable to swim came to the bridge for lifebelts. I did my best to reassure them although I knew we only had 2,000 lifebelts on board.

The ship began to sink rapidly by the head, listing from side to side, probably caused by the passengers rushing from port to starboard as the ship rolled. About ten minutes after we had been hit, at about 4 o'clock, the ship heeled over on to her port side and sank.

I had on my capok lifejacket and for the next three or four hours I was in the water, surrounded by those who had managed to escape with lifebelts, or by hanging on to rafts and floating debris. The loss of life amongst the troops must have been high, I should think between 3,000 or 4,000, principally due to shortage of lifebelts, and also to the 1,407 tons of oil fuel from the deep tank which rose to the surface and was the cause of many casualties, adding greatly to the difficulties of the rescue workers.

Sources: THE NAVAL REVIEW. November 1940.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M .