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Wednesday 17 June 2009

RMS Lancastria

Bombed and sunk on the 17 June 1940

built by Wm Beardmore & Company Dalmuir,
Yard No 557

Last Name: LANCASTRIA (1924)
Port of Registry: Liverpool
Propulsion: Steam turbine, 2527 nhp, 16.5 knots
Launched: Monday, 31/05/1920
Built: 1922
Ship Type: Passenger Vessel
Tonnage: 16243 grt
Length: 552.8 feet
Breadth: 70.4 feet
Draught: 38.8 feet
Owner History:
Anchor Line Glasgow
Cunard Steam-Ship Company, Liverpool
1934 Cunard-White Star Ltd., Liverpool
Status: Bombed & Sunk - 17/06/1940

Similar in design to other Cunarders and Anchor liners of the day. She earned the name "Soup Tureen" and generally not much else of a name for herself initially. In 1924 she was refitted for Cabin Class and her name was changed to LANCASTRIA as Americans were reputed to have difficulty in pronouncing TYRRHENIA. In the thirties it was decided she was more fitted to cruising. Became RMT LANCASTRIA in 1940. On above date of sinking she had been evacuating an unknown number of refugees and military personel from Nazaire during Operation Aerial. As many as 9000 people could have been aboard when German planes bombed her, with one bomb going straight down the funnel and sealing her fate. Estimates of up to 5000 people lost. The disaster was hushed on the orders of Churchill and despite being the biggest maritime disaster in the UK's history, received little prominence in the press when it eventually filtered through.


Information courtesey of CLYDEBUILT SHIP DATA BASE

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