MV Wilhelm Gustloff

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Gerard, Jul 27, 2006.

  1. cash_13

    cash_13 Senior Member

    I had already posted this on another thread, Regards Lee

    My Grand father Cyril George Pickford Royal Engineers (BEF 1939-40) not sure after that, Survived the sinking of the Lancastria in the evacuation of France and was picked up from the dock by one of his brothers who said he was totaly naked and a friend of his said he's had all his clothes blown off of him and did'nt have a scratch.....I only found this out in 2000 at the funeral of his sister........I alway looked up to my grandad and he was a very strict man and said very little when I was around with others but when I used to stay at there house he never stopped talking although never about the war....my nan always said dont mention it!

    I only found out about him being on the Lancastria when we were clearing out his things when he passes away in 1977 as there was a old photo of the ship turning listing and on the back it just said my mates
    ( 4 or more names ) then RIP
     
  2. Andy in West Oz

    Andy in West Oz Senior Member

  3. cash_13

    cash_13 Senior Member

    Did ballard or anybody explore the Lancastria?
     
  4. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    I wouldn't have thought so given it has official War Grave status.
    Regards
    Hugh
     
  5. cash_13

    cash_13 Senior Member

    So was the ARK and Bismark and the hood!

    The hood was the biggest loss of all in percentages

    what was it one survivor?

    Ballard filmed those war graves, and besides its not him thats the problem its the ones that follow him
     
  6. KriegsmarineFreak

    KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member

    Hey, I'm just wondering what the best and most accurate book on the Wilhelm Gustloff is? You guys read any books about the shipwreck?
     
  7. redcoat

    redcoat Senior Member

  8. KriegsmarineFreak

    KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member

    Hey, thanks for the website redcoat! It is very informative and very helpful! Thanks again!
     
  9. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Senior Member

    In all of history? Hardly. The Romans lost a fleet during the Second Punic War with an estimated loss of between 10,000 and 40,000 sailors and soldiers aboard the transports and triremes of that fleet. That is probably the worst single disaster at sea in history.
     
  10. KriegsmarineFreak

    KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member

    When the HMS Hood sank there were only three survivors: Ted Briggs, Bob Tilburn and Bill Dundas. They were picked up by the destroyer HMS Electra two hours after the sinking. I do know they interviewed one of the three survivors on the National Geographic video about the search for the battleship Bismarck.

    HMS Hood Sinking After Explosion
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    I do know they interviewed one of the three survivors on the National Geographic video about the search for the battleship Bismarck.


    That was Signalman Ted Briggs the last surviving member of the three who survived the sinking.

    Regards
    Hugh
     
  12. KriegsmarineFreak

    KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member

    Hey, everyone!

    Turns out they are making a TV series in Germany about the final voyage of the Wilhelm Gustloff. It airs on TV on March 2-3, 2008 and currently there's a German website that has video clips and photos from the film. It looks really good! I recognize some of the German actors in the movie from the edited version of "Downfall" that I saw. Is anyone good with German? I cannot understand a majority of the website but it is fun to look around and the 3-d interactive map is a lot of fun! The film looks promising!

    Link: ZDF.de - Die Gustloff
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Christos

    Christos Discharged

    The Wilhelm Gustlov remains as an enduring mystery. Rumours of it's possible cargo continue to be spread. Gauleiter Koch is said to have placed the 'Amber Room' aboard for it's last voyage, and the exact number of persons crammed abaord for the final voyage can only be a matter of conjecture. Don't forget the other large liners to be sunk by the Soviets (The Goya and the Von Stueben).....I have always wondered what became of the Gustlov's sister vessel, the 'Robert Ley'. Adolf Hitler is said to have taken a cruise for the maiden voyage of one of these vessels, chatting with passengers and conducting himself in a manner appropriate to the middle class German worker that this 'Kraft Durch Fruede' liner was built to accomodate and service. The Gustlov was and still is a worthy historical subject in it's own right. It's sinking represented a chapter of Soviet submarine history that is shameful to say the least, and representative of the desperate late war efforts of these submariners to make some kind of worthy contribution to the war effort of their country......easy to torpedo a large vessel with little or no escort..........
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    That links sends me to our forum homepage.
    So I'll add it again.
    ZDF.de - Die Gustloff

    Call me cynical but isn't this the Germans doing their "we are victims" thing again?
    Just a thought.

    Just been looking at the 3-D image & some of the film clips.
    The S-13, one minute it's on the surface but when it fires it's submerged or have I watched it incorrectly?
    "Die Gustloff" in 3-D
     
  15. KriegsmarineFreak

    KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member

    Yeah, sorry about the website thing. Not sure why it did that. I did notice the S-13 video goof as well. You think Germany will put the series on DVD with English subtitles?
     
  16. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    It's sinking represented a chapter of Soviet submarine history that is shameful to say the least, and representative of the desperate late war efforts of these submariners to make some kind of worthy contribution to the war effort of their country......easy to torpedo a large vessel with little or no escort..........



    Was the Gustloff a legitimate target? Yes
    Did it have a Naval escort? Yes
    Was it a hospital ship? No

    They had every right to sink her.
     
  17. KriegsmarineFreak

    KriegsmarineFreak Senior Member

    Didn't the Wilhelm Gustloff have anti-aircraft guns on it during its last voyage? Plus, there were Kriegsmarine personnel on board and also possibly Nazi Party Leaders. Its a pity all those refugees were put onto an escape boat that was clearly a legitimate target.
     
  18. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    It's sinking represented a chapter of Soviet submarine history that is shameful to say the least, and representative of the desperate late war efforts of these submariners to make some kind of worthy contribution to the war effort of their country......easy to torpedo a large vessel with little or no escort..........
    funny but the victims of the Lancastria might say the same about the Luftwaffe
     
  19. Trincomalee

    Trincomalee Senior Member

    The producer says it's an anti-war film and acknowledges there were 1,000 soldiers on board . From his interview , it doesn't look to be a simplistic treatment .
     
  20. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Nothing to do with the sinking but just reading in Through Hell For Hitler by Henry Metelmann that when he was in the Hitler Youth they went to Hamburg docks to welcome The Condor Legion back from Spain.
    They had returned on the Wilhelm Gustloff.
    Just goes to show the effect of this forum, I'm reading a book recommended on here & read about a ship I'd not heard of until being here.
    Thanks chaps.
     

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