SS Arandora Star

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by CL1, Jul 22, 2012.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    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
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    Frankreich, Lorient.- U47 und U 137





    athene-5x43q9aqlcoint1phew_layout.jpg
     
  3. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    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
     
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  4. MikB

    MikB Senior Member

    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! :D

    Regards,
    MikB
     
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  5. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    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)
     
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  6. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    A memorial for the ship at Pier Head on the Liverpool Dock front:

    SS Arandora Star.JPG
     
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  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Panel from Tower Hill Memorial
     

    Attached Files:

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  8. archivist

    archivist Well-Known Member

    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.
     
  9. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    A related news story here.
    Unmarked wartime grave relatives found 83 years on

     

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