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HMT Lancastria
The Lancastria was a Cunard Anchor Line ocean liner built by William Beardmore and Company and launched on the 31st of May 1920. At the outbreak of the Second World War she was requisitioned for use as a troop carrier and was refitted in New York, her company colours painted over in battleship grey. HMT Lancastria was sunk off St. Nazaire in an air raid, she was fully loaded with troops and civilians who were being evacuated from occupied France as part of Operation Aerial. 2,477 people were rescued, the number of passengers was unknown, but estimates of the number killed range from 3,000 to over 6,500. Many of the dead were listed as being killed whilst serving with the BEF in France.
4th June 1940 Move
5th June 1940 Waiting
6th June 1940 Convoy
7th June 1940 On the Move
8th June 1940 Air Raid
9th June 1940 Mist
10th June 1940 Arrival
11th June 1940 On the Move
17th Jun 1940 Ship Sunk
17th June 1940 Enemy Attack
17th June 1940 Disaster
17th June 1940 SS Lancastria sunk
17th June 1940 Rescue
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Want to know more about HMT Lancastria? There are:1304 items tagged HMT Lancastria available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Cpl. John Derek Williamson Royal Army Service Corps
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Pte. Payne Royal Army Service Corps Extract from newspaper report from an Interview with Private Payne from Luton, Chatham August 1940.
With the collapse of the French army Private Payne was involved in the evacuation of the 2nd BEF and he and other troops found themselves aboard the ill fated SS Lancastria.
‘The story of the Lancastria has now been told’ he said, ’but one thing that was not sufficiently emphasised was the courage of the troops on board.
‘It has been suggested that the enemy were not aware of the Lancastria’s identity after she had sunk I think I can confirm that’
‘A Corporal Williamson and myself, both clerks with the R.A.S.C., were manning a Bren gun on the top deck. He was firing and I was feeding the gun.
We brought down the plane that bombed the boat and it therefore did not return to its base to tell the tale.
In the explosion which followed the bombing my comrade was severely injured. I think I can say that I saved his life because although he was practically unconscious I managed to dress his wounds and get him safely on a boat. I placed him on the last lifeboat to leave the ship.
I tried to get into a boat myself, but overbalanced and fell into the water. I had no life belt and I could not swim, but I found an oar in the water and was able to hold myself up. I was in the water more than 2 hours.
We were machine gunned during part of it, but I came through okay and was finally picked up by a French trawler.
When I got aboard I found my comrade was there too. He was lying unconscious on the deck and although I was terribly wet and weary I made a pillow for him out of some wet clothing and stayed with him until we were transferred to a bigger ship. Here he was operated on and is, I believe, now in hospital in England.
I think his feat in shooting down the German plane is deserving of some recognition.
Private Payne added that his experience had somewhat affected his help and that he has now been graded B.1.
Corporal Williamson was my father John Derek Williamson, who died when he was 68 years old in 1988.
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Private Robert Cummings Anthony (d.17th June 1940) My uncle was on the Lancastria although I don't know too much about him. He was only 21, just a boy as were so many others. His name was Robert Anthony, and was a baker with the Royal Army Service Corps. He was on deck when the ship was bombed, but was terrified of the water, and wouldn't jump when his pals did. They shouted for him to jump, but he was too frightened. Some of his friends survived, and it was they who came and told his mother what had happened.
Although he was an only son, and just a boy, his name was never put on the war memorial here in Ayr, which his mother never understood. But after many letters and these long years his name is now on a small plate, under the memorial, too late for his mother.
Robert Anthony is buried in the Normoutier-en-L'Ile Communal Cemetery.
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Sgm Allan Dewsnap Royal Signals Corps My father, Sgm Allan Dewsnap 2586904 Royal Signals Corp, was a survivor of the sinking of the Lancastria, along with other Glossop soldiers, Thomas O. Booth (still alive), Leonard Dicks (still alive), Corporal William Bamforth (deceased), James Alfred Drabble (drowned on the ship).
I have spoken to Tom Booth and Len Dicks many times about the sinking. Tom always carries a photograph of the ship going down and at the stern in the water are six figures – Tom says that one is himself and the others are Len Dicks and my father. Unfortunately I can't remember who the other three are. Nor can I remember the newspaper that carried the article and photo. Tom is not very well at the moment so I will have to wait awhile to see him. This morning I received my father's Lancastria Commemorative Medal and a very nice letter from the First Minister of Scotland the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP. I will keep it with my father's other campaign medals.
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Corporal George Braidwood 75 Company Pioneer Corps (d.17th june 1940) My grandfather, Cpl George Braidwood, 75 Coy Pioneer Corps, lost his life on the Lancastria.
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Albert Ernest Latham 73 Company Pioneer Corps Albert Ernest Latham of 73 Coy, Pioneer Corps, was on the Lancastria when he sunk. He was my great grandfather; I would like to find out more about it.
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Sergeant Alexander George Gilbert 663 Artisan Works Company Royal Engineers My grandfather was a Lancastria survivor, his name was
Sergeant Alexander George Gilbert, 663 Artisan Works Company, Royal Engineers. Does anyone have any information about him?
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Private William Sullivan Pioneer Corps (d.17 June 1940) My uncle was one of the servicemen who lost their life on the Lancastria. He was Private William Sullivan B1904 of the Pioneer Corps, from Sculcotes, Hull. He had 7 children at the time the oldest was just 15. God Bless all those who lost their lives.
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Cpl. William O. Williams 50 Coy. Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps (d.17th June 1940) William Williams served in France with 50 Coy., Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. He died on the RMS Lancastria
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Pte. Robert Smith Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (d.17th June 1940) Robert Smith was my grandfather. He died when HMT Lancastria was sunk on 17th of June 1940.
Robert enlisted at Paisley in 1925 aged 18 years. His civilian employment prior to enlisting was listed as labourer.
In 1927 his battalion moved to Jamaica until September 1929 when the men moved to Northern China. They embarked from China on the troopship HT Neurala February 1933 for the UK for his transfer to the Army Reserve; a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency.
Robert married Agnes in 1934. Robert's job at the time is recorded as Tramway Car Conductor.
In 1939 Robert rejoined the Argylls and was attached to the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps before being sent to France.
HMT Lancastria was a Clyde built Cunard cruiser that became a troopship, involved in Convoy Alabaster and Operation Arial, the evacuation of troops from Europe. Bombed off the coast of St. Nazaire, France and sunk in approx 20 minutes. Approx 2500 people rescued. Loss of life estimates range from a conservative 2,500 to 6,000.
Robert Smith's body was never recovered and his name is on the memorial at Dunkirk North. Robert died aged 34 years leaving 4 children aged under 5 years. There are now four generations of Robert's descendants in Scotland and Australia.
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Cpl. James Griffiths Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (d.17th Jun 1940) James Griffiths is one of my relatives, I have been researching my family history. I am a bit confused as I visited his memorial in Dunkirk. Further research has confused me as it is stated he was killed in the Rennes railway bombing tragedy, then it is suggested in the CWGC memorial book that he was on the SS Lancastria when it was sunk at St. Nazaire. James was born in Manchester and joined the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry and was attached to the Pioneer Corps. It was suggested he took part in the digging of tunnels and trenches for the incoming troops. I would love to know if any fellow Pioneers who knew him are still alive, or any other info, such as letters, notes or pictures. I just wish I had known members of my family who went to war and never came home, and that includes my grandfather Albert Griffiths, who, it was stated, passed away at a military base in Stranraer, Scotland. Unfortunately, I was placed in care when I was one year old, and I have never known any of my relatives from that era. One thing is for sure, I am very proud of what they and all the other members of the Armed Forces helped achieve in that sad period of our times.
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