TNA CAB 103 191

POLLY THOMAS
008ADO
canad
MINISTRY Hotel OF SHIPPING, HOTEL,
Name of Vessel
363
and G.R.T.
8A
Date
Sailing barge
1/6
Cause and Position
20A
LARK
G.R.T. 67
At Dunkirk.
D.W. 140
M.0346/41.
List C.
1
T56le
FOSSA
Tug.
2/6
1. Ships proper lost during
H"March, 1941.
G.R.T. 105
Stranded
Dunkirk Operations.
Sands off on Dunkirk. Bryr Brayne ed
House,
N.
S.S.TRAIN No.2. FERRY
Name.
Date lost.
About d,
D.W. G.R.T.2678.
12/6
bandoned on at
1st June, 1940.
your letter of ship
M.S. BASILISK
ough
S.S. P.C. BRUGES
M.S. GRAFTON
29th May, 1940.
rding herewith ops
About
30th May, 1940.
oncerning the loss ing intity was a
G.R.T.2949
11/6
,M.S. GRENADE
D.W. 741
Bombed off Le Havre.
1st June, 1940.
d by you.
.M.S. HAVANT
buoy a
S.TEIRESIAS
S
0 have been
1st June, 1940.
in
G.R.T.7405
17/6
.M.S. KEITH
PS as ou will probably
D.W. 9644
.M.S. WAKEFUL
29th May, 1940.
roops, tish
S.S. DIDO.
in Bombed 47.7°N. off St.Nazaire
20.
on is obtained
I.M.S. SKIPJACK
1st June, 1940.
3,733.
G.W.T.3550
ot always readily
673
18/6
H.M.S. MOSQUITO
1st June, 1940.
ers
TrawlerMANSK.
At Brest. Abandoned.
(approx)
D.W. G.R.T. 348
19/6
Blow ncerely,
When
Dry &
Grounded at Brest.
nd about
MAhcak oard
S.S.LUPPWORTH.
g picked
Aband
G.R.T. 279.
Prev,
D.W. 370
21/6.
isting
Abandoned at Brest.
een
S.S.LANCASTRIA.
evacuees)
G.R.T.16,243.
17/6
SUNK,
13,226.
/2/1941
Bombed. unknown. Position
Lue Coat School,
Is
M.V. KUFRA.
Church Road,
SUNK.
Wavertree,
G.R.T. 4364
23/6
LIVERPOOL, 15.
bombs
D.W. 2724
mes early
"MONA'S QUEEN' 29/5/40.
in Rammed 44° 11' by 'San 2°W. Diego'
bombs and
SUNK.
sequently at there
DIFERRION.
sunk by H.M.S. JANUS.
10
10
1/6
off Sunk bunkirk. action were any troops on board.
"DUCHESS"
29 survive
MAID OF KENT. Lost on 1/6/40 as the result of bombing available attacks and
G.R.T. 55 Net.
Spritsail barge
26 lost.
during no information as to any military personnel on
Dunkirk operations. No details board.
1/6
SUNK.
S.S. "ELLAVORE"
During at
Abandoned
MONA'S QUEEN. Personnel Vessel sunk by mine whilst off Dunkirk.
G.R.T. 1302.
Dunkirk
No other details available.
10/6
H.M.S. FIELDS. Received direct hit Impossible from enemy to aircraft ascertai
GRACIE while carrying 700-800 troops.
At Havre. aircraft, by do.
number of troops killed.
SUNK.

Empire
HOTEL
S.S.-
CONFIDENTIAL.
20
P.
WAKEFUL. Torpedoed 29th May, 1940. Ship broke inhalf and only those on the upper deck were saved. About
600 troops were below.
CRESTED EAGLE. Was bombed and then beached in a burning condition on 29th May, 1940. Only about 300 saved
House, out of 600 on board.
SKIPJACK. Bombed 1st June, 1940, 250 - 300 troops on board, most of whom, unfortunately, went down with the ship when she sank.
ough
WAVERLEY. Sunk by enemy aircraft, 29th May, 1940, 600 troops were on board before ship was abandoned in sinking intity was a condition, but only 200 - 300 were picked up.
GRAFTON. Torpedoed and sunk by M.T.B. offKwinte Whistle buoy in the early hours of 29th May, 1940. No record in personnel on board.
Ps as
LANCASTRIA. Sunk 17/6/1940 by aircraft while embarking troops, tish on board were 5,200 troops, several refugees and crew 320.
Military survivors known to have been landed amounted to 3,733.
ARANDORA STAR. Torpedoed 2nd July, 1940 while carrying 1673
(approx) passengers and crew, including 8 officers and 195 men of the military guard. Of the 800 (approx)
saved 163 were members of the military guard.
MOHAMED ALI EL KEBIR. Torpedoed and sunk on 7/8/1940. When ship sank there were stated to be 4 officers and about
30 soldiers on board, all of whom jumped overboard
"and some managed to get rafts and spars, being picked up by the DestroyersWHALER".
ABOUKIR. Torpedoed and sunk on 28th May, 1940 whilst assisting in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Known to have been carrying about 250 people (officers, crew and evacuees)
of whom about 14 only were saved.
GREYHOUND. War Office casualties Liverpool, informed 3/2/1941
by Admiralty Letter M.O 1739/41 that no details available.
CHROBRY. Ship hit by salvo of explosive and incendiary bombs at 2340 on 14th May, 1940 and abandoned in flames early
15th May. Casualties caused by explosion of bombs and through being trapped and overcome by fumes.
HYPERION. Mined in Mediterranean on 22/12/1940 and subsequently sunk by H.M.S. JANUS. It is not thought that there were any troops on board.
MAID OF KENT. Lost on 1/6/40 as the result of bombing attacks during Dunkirk operations. No details available and no information as to any military personnel on board.
MONA'S QUEEN. Personnel Vessel sunk by mine whilst off Dunkirk.
No other details available.
H.M.S. GRACIE FIELDS. Received direct hit from enemy aircraft while carrying 700-800 troops. Impossible to ascertail number of troops killed.

House,
Name of Vessel and G.R.T.
Date
Cause and Position
Remarks
N.
LARK
1/6
At Dunkirk.
Abandoned on beach. ugh
Sailing barge
G.R.T. 67
tity
D.W.
140
as a
EOSSA
2/6
Stranded on Bryr Brayne
Abandoned. Carrying
Tug.
Sands off Dunkirk.
100 troops. All
G.R.T.105
taken off.
in
B as
S.S. TRAIN FERRY
About 12/6
Abandoned on beach at
LOST.
ish
NO.2.
Le Havre during
G.R.T.2678.
operations.
D.W. -
S.S. BRUGES
About 11/6
Bombed off Le Havre.
SUNK.
P.C.
G.R.T.2949
D.W. 741
S.S. TEIRESIAS
17/6
Bombed off St.Nazaire
BELIEVED SUNK.
C.L.
in 47.7°N. 2° 23'W.
G.R.T.7405
D.W. 9644
S.S. DIDO
18/6
At Brest.Abandoned.
Blown up in
G.R.T.3554
Dry Dock.
D.W. 5050
S.T.MURMANSK.
19/6
Grounded at Brest.
Abandoned.
Trawler.
G.R.T. 348.
D.W.
S.S.LUFFWORTH.
Prev.21/6.
Abandoned at Brest.
SUNK.
Tramp.
G.R.T. 279.
D.W. 370.
S.S.LANCASTRIA.
17/6
Bombed. Position
SUNK.
P.C.
unknown.
G.R.T.16,243.
D.W. 13,226.
M.V. KUFRA.
23/6
Rammed by 'San Diego'
SUNK.
C.L.
in 44° 11'M2°W.
G.R.T. 4364.
D.W. 2724.
S.S. "MONA'S QUEEN".
29/5/40
Sunk by enemy action
29 survived.
off Dunkirk.
26 lost.
S.S. "LADY ROSEBERY"
1/6
SUNK+
Aux. sailing barge
Abandoned at Dunkirk.
G.R.T. 109.
"DUCHESS".
1/6
During operations at
Spritsail barge do.
Dunkirk.
G.R.T. 55 Net.
S.S. "ELLAVORE".
10/6
At Havre. Bombed by
SUNK.
G.R.T.1302.
aircraft.
-4-

1010
Telegrams: SHIPMINDER, BLACKPOOL."
Telephone: SOUTH SHORE-41006.
17A
6/2
Blackpool 23821.
MINISTRY OF SHIPPING,
Л
"Empire Hotel",
GRAND-HOTEL,
CONFIDENTIAL.
Lansdowne Crescent,
BLACKPOOL, S.S.
M/151359/41
Lancs.
7th March, 1941.
1941.
Dear Mr. Walmsley,
I am sorry not to have replied before to your letter of February 26th but you will appreciate that it has taken a little time to collect the information you to ask for and even now it is not complete. We can, of n
course, only give you such information as we have and this does not always cover all the points you raise.
It may be that in many cases the Admiralty could give h
you more to detailed here information, especially where casualties, are concerned, since they handle all the g
actual Casualty Lists. However, I append all the ed information I can for your help.
S.S. "Lancastria" on 17th June, 1940, was attacked and sunk by enemy aircraft about 3.50 p.m. while at of anchor at Carpenter Roads off St. Nazaire. The ship ad sank in about ten minutes. About twelve boats got
Luding away and a number of the crew and troops were picked it sea up by numerous craft in the vicinity.
nk at
S.S. "Arandora Star" was torpedoed at 6.15 a.m.
over on the 2nd July, 1940, in the North Atlantic -
position 55° 20'N. 10° 33' West. The survivors all got away in the ship's boats and on rafts which hip.
were sighted by aircraft about two hours later and at about 2 p.m. on the 7th a Destroyer arrived and picked up the survivors. It is not known how many voyage were drowned and how many were killed by the explosion. n
W,
S.S. "Mohamed Ali El Kebir" was torpedoed at saved,
8.15 p.m. on the 7th August, 1940, in the North chose
Atlantic 55° 0" N. 15° West. She sank about one
2 sank hour and fifty minutes later. A Destroyer arrived on the scene and picked up survivors.
F. Walmsley, Esq.
Church K call,
Wavertree,
Liverpool.

T561
16A
UNITED
of
SHIPPING CASUALTIES SECTION,
TRADE DIVISION,
OMERALTY
ADMIRALTY, S.W.1.
28th February, 1941.
tity as a
Dear Mr. Hammond, in
I am in receipt of your letter of 25th instant and am afraid that the information which is available in
S as tish this Section will not be of very much use to you. I
think I explained to you over the telephone that we are not concerned with the personnel of merchant ships which le are lost, but only with the ships themselves. The information which we obtain in regard to personnel being
00
only incidental to our object. I have, however, checked up our facts and other information we have, with the following result:-
1.
S.S. LANCASTRIA. This ship was struck by a salvo of
4 bombs about 1545 G.M.T. on 17th June. The ship had embarked 5,200 troops and a number of refugees, including women and children. The wind was light N.W., slight sea and swell, cloudy with bright periods. The ship sank rapidly by the head, listing from side to side. About
10 minutes after being hit at 1600, the ship heeled over on her port side and sank.
Deserty
S.S. WAKEFUL
I have no information about this ship.
Is she H.M.S.?
S.S. ARANDORA STAR This ship was torpedoed on a voyage from Liverpool to St. Johns, Newfoundland at 0657 on
2nd July, 1940. I understand 119 Officers and crew, making a total of 868 survivors, the remainder of those
163 Military Guard, 264 Italians, 322 Germans were saved, on board are presumed to have been lost. The ship sank stern first at 0720.
D. Hammond, Esq.
The War Office,
Casualty Branch,
Blue Coat School,
Church R oad,
Wavertree,
Liverpool.

E.Kinkman yese May from 2 1940
T566
561
/6A
SHIPPING CASUALTIES SECTION,
OMIRALLY
TRADE DIVISION,
ADMIRALTY, S.W.1.
28th February, 1941.
tity as a
Dear Mr. Hammond, and this am Section afraid that the information which of is 25th instant in
I am in receipt of your letter in think I will not be of very much available
S as not concerned explained to you over the telephone use to you. I
tish are lost, but with the personnel of merchant that we which are information only with the ships themselves. ships up only incidental facts which to we our obtain object. in regard I have, to personnel The checked being le o
following our result:- and other information we have, however, with the bombs S.S. LANCASTRIA. about This ship was struck by a
1.
4 embarked 1545 G.M.T. on 17th June. The salvo of and swell, The wind was light including sea women and 5,200 children. troops and a number of refugees, ship had
10 minutes head, listing from side to ship sank rapidly by cloudy the with bright periods. The N.W., slight on her port after side being hit at 1600, the ship side. heeled About over and sank.
Deserty
S.S. WAKEFUL
Is she H.M.S.?
I have no information about this ship.
2nd from S.S. Liverpool ARANDORA to STAR St. Johns, This ship Newfoundland was torpedoed on a voyage
163 Military July, 1940. I understand 119 Officers at 0657 on making on board a are total Guard, of 868 264 survivors, Italians, the 322 remainder Germans and were crew, saved, stern first at presumed 0720. to have been lost. The of ship those sank
D. Hammond, Esq.,
The War Office,
Casualtv Branch,
Blue Coat School,
Church R oad,
Wavertree,
Liverpool.
Typing Bectom

E.Kinkman
Telephone No.: ABBEY 7711.
2152
MINISTRY OF SHIPPING,
9A
1020
IAN 1941
T566
reference tion quote the following nly to this communicais
BERKELEY SQUARE HOUSE,
BERKELEY SQUARE,
S.T.N.
LONDON, W.1.
n 5g W.I. Shipping, Rishely Equare House
Ref 2152-S.T.N.
16th February, 1941the
Dear Dawkins, ship replying to your letter of the 10th
I must apologise for the delay certainly ore. 8 there sank within enough
January and Thorne's of the 5th inst.
regarding Dunkirk casualties.
The Section concerned are compiling a list of the vessels which were lost during the various inad We ith r put of over also the on light the understand ant understand about the water, a of large in as a evacuation operations but warn me that they have very little information available - practically nothing more some the British than the names of the ships and dates able swimmers reached of the casualties.
to make their way the to
So far as "LANCASTRIA" is concerned I attach a statement which has been obtained from the Company.
As you will see it contains nothing
12.2.1941.
definite and I think all that we can say is that there does exist a chance,
K
if only a slight one, that personnel who embarked in that vessel and whose fate is unknown may still be alive.
Does the move to Liverpool follow on promotion? If so my congratulations
Kind regards.
Yours sincerely
A. Dawkins, Esq.,
A.L.
Se
Berkeley Square
Berkeley Square,
London, 1.
Ber alay
Landons
Typing Sectom

RECEIVED
1010
T566
RC
"LANCASTRIA".
From Berheley Mr. loose, Square, Unity handen WAN 1AN 1941 of W.I. Shipping Ref: Berhely Equare House dirriculties reasonable the partion we
2152-S.T.N.
great to over the was a within large enough force. soon possible cases and number we of also light understand ant water, and was as as a in as a shore hisher Up shore ficourse, and were the it left may coast behind. still and be were that unable with some put the to swimmers on make their of reached the way British the to
Copy hutin "ile,
06/2/41
12.2.1941.
1010
WOTER
A.L. Sea Transport
Division,
A.L.
you 4/2
Ministry
Se
Berkeley Schiare House,
Berkeley Square,
London, W.1.
Ber alay
Landons

WAVERTREE, LIVERPOOL, 15.
February, 1941.
5
Hoore,
Dear Moore,
10th January, Dawkins wrote you asking on a
Terman, but whether you information regarding sinkings of that it in
On could the give any assistance in passing ships request for evacuations. I quite understand assemble this and E film making out may the various be a matter but of we some are difficulty being rather to pressed for who decisions were on been in the information, regarding the fate of officers and other ranks the "Lancastria".
can referring do anything to that one ship without waiting for the whole of
In the to assist us in obtaining circumstances, I am wondering information whether you the story?
Yours sincerely,
M
(Signed) G.A. THORNE
We a]
or
"In pre lit if
A.L. Moore, Esq.,
Sea Transport Division,
A.L. Moore,
Ministry of Shipping,
Sea Trans
Borkeley Square House,
Minist
Berkeley Square,
Berkel
London, W.1.
Ber
L

3A,
4A
THE WAR OFFICE CASUALTY BRANCH,
BLUE COAT SCHOOL,
CHURCH ROAD,
WAVERTREE,
LIVERPOOL, 15.
10ᵗʰ. January, 1941.
Dear Moore, branch, quarter. but I shall be very grateful if you will place it in the your
I am afraid the following enquiry has no connexion with and I I have been transferred from Sea Transport to R. Casualties right been making out a case for a formal presumption of death of men who of find that one of the problems facing my new branch is that in missing since the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force, have
June, 1940.
sunk before they reached the United Kingdom, but, in the absence were
As you know, a large number embarked in ships which rence)
to any reports on the circumstances of these sinkings, we find it of ve to assess the French the coast. possibility of survivors having been picked up and difficult conveyed e
Would it be possible to give us a list of the en were were employed in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary ships Force which and and or boats distance from shore, and (if at sea) whether other sinking, approximate sunk after embarking troops, with the date and time of little probably the outstanding case in point, and if it is likely 1940, to is a
"Lancastria", which left St. Nazaire on the 17th June, resouss?
were in their vicinity and may have effected ships The if time to collect details of all such cases it would be helpful take we could have the "Lancastria" particulars in advance.
Yours Sincerely.
Ha, Dawkens
A.L. Moore, Esq.,
Sea Transport Division,
B:
Ministry of Shipping,
Berkeley Square House,
Berkeley Square,
London, W.1.
Typing Sectem