Donegal people became very much aware of the war in 1940. Britain suffered a terrible blow with the sinking of the luxury liner "Arandora Star" converted to a troopship. Eight hundred and five lives were lost. The ship bound for Newfoundland sailed from Liverpool with 1673 people -- German and Italian Prisoners of War, military guards and crew although designed to carry only 450. Next morning, on July 2 she was struck by a torpedo west of Bloody Foreland a few miles from where I was born. She began to list immediately and went down in half an hour. Two of the twelve life boats were wrecked. A Canadian destroyer arrived and spent five hours picking up survivors. During the following weeks two hundred and thirteen bodies were washed ashore. I remember our local Gardai arrangeing for buriel of some in Kilult graveyard . They had their names carefully inscribed on head-stones so that loved ones could trace them and have them re-interred back home.
On the 28th of August 1940 another liner the " Dunvegan Castle" was torpedoed and sunk by a U-Boat. Four Officers and 23 Ratings were killed. The ship stayed afloat until help arrived and Two hundred and fifty people survived. The guilty U-boat also sank the RMS Corinthia.
On 26th October 1940, as the" Emperess of Britain" - Britain's largest merchant ship-- approached our
Arranmore Island a German aircraft dropped four bombs on it. The Captain felt obliged to order "Abandon ship" and call for help from all neighbouring vessels in the rescue of survivors from his lifeboats. Two tugs were sent by the British Admirality to tow the liner ashore so that it might be repaired and returned to service. Early the next morning a German U-boat spotted the Emperess under tow and fired three torpedoes at it. Two were on target and doomed the liner. The 42,500 tonne ship went down in ten minutes . Just two days later the U-32 was sunk a short distance further west . It's Captain Hans Jenisch was reported as having survived the sinking and met the survivors of the Emperess of Britain after the war was over. Residents near the coast on hearing or seeing explosions were tempted -- particularly when the wind was from the north -- to walk along the incoming sea hoping to find wreckage that might be useful. I knew a few who picked up beds, chairs, tables and other furniture.
On June 7 1940 the cargo ship "Francis Massey" when 15 miles off Tory island was torpedoed and sunk with the loss of thirty four members of the crew. There was one survivor. He was rescued by HMS Volunteer of the Royal Navy.
In October three more ships were sunk when along our coast. Fortunately from the "Caprella" only one member of the crew was lost -- the other fifty two were rescued by "Angle" and "Lady Elsa" of the Royal Navy. From the tanker "Janus" four of the crew were lost -- the other thirty three were rescued by HMS "Hibiscus". From the cargo ship "Loch Lomond" one crew member was lost -- the other thirty nine were rescued by HMS "Jason".
On November 3 when passing Bloody Foreland HMS "Lamentic" was sent down with forty nine unlucky men. Four hundred and seventeen were rescued by HMS "Beagle".
On November 8 the Swedish cargo ship "Vingaland" was bombed and set on fire. Six of the crew were killed. Next day the damaged vessel was torpedoed and sunk. Nineteen survivors were rescued by the British "Danae".
On November 13 the cargo ship "Cape of Andrew" got straggled behind the convoy passing Tory. It was torpedoed and sunk with fifteen unfortunate men. The other fifty three crewmen were rescued by HMS "Salvonia".
On November 17 the cargo ship "Saint Germain" was damaged by a torpedo but remained on the surface until next day. As she slid down all eighteen members of the crew were picked up by HMS "Mallow". But seventeen of the crew of the torpedoed Swedish "Veronica" died. The three survivors were rescued byy a local fishing boat.
On November 21 two cargo ships "Daydawn" and "Victoria" were torpedoed and sunk. Two members of the crew of the former were lost but the remainder were all rescued by the Royal Navy's "Castleton" and "Rhododendron".
These were terrible months for British and lovers of freedom all over the world. My Dad used to say we would never have survived withiout the defiant voice of Churchill. Sadly he died three months before he had led us to victory. What I never understood was why he was rejected at the next election.
None of the losses I have mentioned equalled that of the "Lancastria" at St. Nazaire on June 17 1940. This Cunard liner launched in 1920 had a crew of 300. Her captain was ordered to bring as many as were able to get on board back to a British port. When ready to leave he was worried about sailing without an escort while there were enemy submarines in the vicinity. So he decided to delay in the harbour. But German planes arrived, dropped their bombs and made three direct hits. 2,477 were lucky to survive. The great ship went down in twenty minutes with the loss of 6,500 lives. It was regarded as the heaviest loss from a single ship. One night while I was taking a walk before going to bed a noisy bomber--possibly looking for Belfast --flew low over Dublin. Our Defence Force were not amused and took aim at it. Probably trying to lighten its load the crew dropped a big bomb which made a hole in Amiens street --about a mile away. I felt lucky during the rest of the terrible war that was as near as I got to it.
These were terrible months for British and lovers of freedom all over the world. My Dad used to say we would never have survived withiout the defiant voice of Churchill. Sadly he died three months before he had led us to victory. What I never understood was why he was rejected at the next election.
None of the losses I have mentioned equalled that of the "Lancastria" at St. Nazaire on June 17 1940. This Cunard liner launched in 1920 had a crew of 300. Her captain was ordered to bring as many as were able to get on board back to a British port. When ready to leave he was worried about sailing without an escort while there were enemy submarines in the vicinity. So he decided to delay in the harbour. But German planes arrived, dropped their bombs and made three direct hits. 2,477 were lucky to survive. The great ship went down in twenty minutes with the loss of 6,500 lives. It was regarded as the heaviest loss from a single ship. One night while I was taking a walk before going to bed a noisy bomber--possibly looking for Belfast --flew low over Dublin. Our Defence Force were not amused and took aim at it. Probably trying to lighten its load the crew dropped a big bomb which made a hole in Amiens street --about a mile away. I felt lucky during the rest of the terrible war that was as near as I got to it.
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