At about 4.00 a.m. on the 2nd July 1940 the Arandora Star sailed from Liverpool. In all she carried 1,673 people, made up as follows: Officers & Crew 174 Military Guard 200 German Interned Males 479 German POW 86 Italian Interned Males 734 Built: Cammell Laird & Company Ltd., Birkenhead ON: 149837 As Built: Gross: 12847 Net: 7815 Dimensions: 512.2 x 68.3 x 34.0 feet As refitted 1928/29: Gross: 14694 Net: 8578 Dimensions: 512.2 x 68.3 x 42.5 feet Propulsion: Four steam turbines by shipbuilder, single reduction geared to two shafts Type: Refrigerated Passenger / Cargo Liner Passengers: As built: 164 1st Class As cruise liner: 354 1st Class Launched: 4/1/1927 ( Yard No.921) as Arandora for Blue Star Line (1920) Ltd. Completed: 5/1927 Refitted: 1929 as cruise liner by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Glasgow Renamed: 1929 Arandora Star Refitted: 1936 Mainmast removed and accommodation extended to poop Transferred: 1937 to Frederick Leyland & Co. Ltd. (Blue Star Line Ltd. managers) Lost: 2/7/1940 when torpedoed by German Submarine U-47 about 75 miles west of the Bloody Foreland in position 55.20N, 10.33W [7] , and later sank in position 56.30 N, 10.38W. She was on a voyage from Liverpool to St. John's, Newfoundland, with internees and prisoners of war. A total of 805 persons were lost Arandora Star SS Arandora Star - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Merchant Navy awards to ARANDORA STAR Ungazetted award for services during the withdrawal of Polish forces from France in 1940. Brindley, Joseph - Boatswain's Mate - Polish Military Cross London Gazette 28 October 1940 - For services when the ship was torpedoed and sunk. Brown, Frederick Bertram - Chief Officer - Commendation Stewart, Robert - Seaman - Commendation Moulton, Edgar Wallace - Captain - Posthumous Commendation Ungazetted awards by Lloyd's Brown, Frederick Bertram - Chief Officer - Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea. Liddle, Ralph - Fourth Officer - Posthumous Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea. Moulton, Edgar Wallace - Captain - Posthumous Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea. Ransom, Stanley - Second Officer - Posthumous Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea. Regards Hugh
My father was a German Interned Male who was supposed to be aboard the Arandora Star. He and his group missed the Star because their escort party of soldiers found some beer during a change of trains, and missed their connection because of it. As it was, he was shipped safely to the Canadian tundra, being returned to Britain about 6 months later. I probably owe my existence to whoever left that beer around! Regards, MikB
Also: The KING has been pleased to grant unrestricted permission for the wearing (or for the acceptance by the next-of-kin) of the Cross of Valour (Krzyz Walecznych) which has been conferred by the President of the Polish Republic upon the under-mentioned Officers and Men of the Merchant Navy in recognition of their gallant conduct during the withdrawal of Polish troops from France in June, 1940:— The Late Captain Edgar Wallace Moulton, Master, S.S. Arandora Star. The Late Joseph Brindley, Bosun’s Mate, S.S. Arandora Star. (and about twenty others)
Can anyone please tell me if there is such a thing as a list of the Polish Forces who disembarked from the Arandora Star on its journey from St Jean de Luz to Liverpool at the end of June 1940. I know there will be no formal passenger list but would there be some sort of record of the arrival of this block of fighting men to join the Polish forces in Great Britain? Many thanks.