The evacuation of British troops from France in 1940 did not end with Dunkirk. British forces were still being rescued two weeks later when Britain's worst maritime disaster of World War II took place. On the 17th of June 1940 the 16,000 ton Cunard liner Lancastria lay 5 miles off St Nazaire and embarked troops, RAF personnel, and civilian refugees, including women and children, who were being evacuated from France, which was then on the verge of collapse. The exact number on board may never be known, but almost certainly exceeded 6000; some estimates were as high as 9000. The Lancastria was attacked and hit by bombs from German aircraft.

Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps which were wholly or partly aboard Lancastria:-
• Companies numbered:
  16, 26, 28, 32, 39, 40, 43, 46, 50, 52, 53, 61, 62,
  63, 66, 67, 68, 73, 75, 82, 104, 108, 115, 208, 233.
• Base Depot Staff.
• HQ Labour Control.
• No. 1 Mauritius Company.

As Major Scott-Bowden of the 53rd Company Auxiliary Pioneer Corps boarded with his men from the destroyer HMS Havelock, it was apparent that Lancastria was becoming overcrowded with men. Once on board he was instructed by the ship’s purser to proceed to a second class cabin which had four bunk beds. Once inside he discovered that seven other Officers were meant to be in the same accommodation. He quickly returned to the Purser who replied: "Sorry Sir, but that’s the best I can do. You’re lucky to get a bunk at all. Three men will have to sleep on the floor and two of those are Colonels!"

• The Lancastria in peacetime

The ship sank rapidly and according to the estimate of the Captain, only around 2500 of those on board were saved. Owing to the scale of the tragedy, Winston Churchill forbade publication of the news in the interests of public morale, and hence the story of the Lancastria has never been generally known, although it is Britain's worst maritime disaster. Two destroyers nearby, the HMS Havelock and the HMS Highlander, began taking survivors aboard as did many merchant ships present, such as the Glenaffaric, the Oronsay, the Fabian and the John Holt. Many of the survivors were seriously wounded. 

The New York Times broke the story, printing some of the dramatic pictures of the disaster and was soon afterwards taken up by the British press. The official report however is still sealed until the year 2040 under the Official Secrets Act.  If it could be proved that the Captain Rudolph Sharpe was ordered by Ministry of Defence Officials to ignore his maximum load restriction there could be considerable grounds for compensation claims against the British Government.  Currently the evidence for this remains under lock and key for another 40 years. 
It has been speculated that the primary reason the Official Report has been supressed is that the Captain
of the Lancastria was instructed to load as many passengers as possible and to "disregard international law on passenger limits." It has not been clearly established who gave that instruction.. 

Given that that order was given however, and also the fact that some of the survivors and, more
importantly, a significant number of relatives of victims, are still alive, there could be significant cause for legal 
action to be taken against the British authorities should it ever be established who gave the loading order. Releasing the documents of the inquiry could lead to significant compensation being paid out. By 2040, it will be safe to assume that most people directly affected, either through the loss of a family member, or indeed, survivors affected will no longer be around.

It is also worth noting the Authorities were quick to place a D-Notice on the news of the sinking, suppressing all
information about the disaster. Churchill claimed news would damage morale, but when Churchill was subsequently asked after the war why he had not lifted the D-Notice after the Germans were finally defeated, he claimed he had merely forgotten to do so.

• Taken from HMS Highlander
Picture courtesy of Mr Clements, Lancastria Association

• The Lancastria troopship in its final movements. Those who managed to
escape overboard were engulfed by huge quantities of leaking fuel oil

"Latitude 47.09, Longitude 2.20. I shall never forget that position that marks her grave.
Of the five thousand souls aboard her less than half had been saved;
she sank like a stone and hundreds could not swim."
       Harry Grattidge, personal account

The tragedy of the Lancastria is indeed a memory one could well be without. I took 46 Coy on board her early on that fatal day and we were, I believe, the first troops to embark, followed by some 2000 RAF ground staff. To my regret about 50 per cent of 46 Coy were lost and as the Company was mostly composed of volunteer tradesmen it was indeed a loss we could ill afford. I have since been told that the total loss on that unfortunate ship was 3,300 and I can well believe it. The great tragedy was that, after two warning from reconnaissance planes, she was kept at anchor, with almost 6000 on board, to be bombed like a sitting bird.

Major A G W Tonkin
of 669 POW Wkg 46 Coy, Greenford, Middlesex

The sinking of the 16,000 ton Cunard White Star liner "Lancastria" on the 17th June, 1940, has been truly described as the greatest sea tragedy of all time and, to the best of my knowledge, no official record concerning it has been published. Indeed, although the facts of her sinking were immediately known to the Germans, the news of her loss was not made public in this country until 26th July, 1940. At the time of the occurrence I was serving as the one and only subaltern with 46 Coy A.M.P.C., commanded by Major D G Carr, and Capt (later Lt. Col, commanding 6 Group) R.S Sim, MBE., as 2nd in command. We had left Rouen on the 8th June, presumably for evacuation, but we quickly received instructions to take up a position of defence at le Neubourg, the defence consisting of 46 Coy. A.M.P.C. plus one French 75 and a couple of machine guns! However we got away from there and reached Lissieux and eventually arrived at Nantes.

My memories of Nantes are two fold, one being amazement that the town appeared to be carrying on in the same manner as if the Germans were still the other side of the Maginot line and the other a grudging appreciation of the efficiency of the Base Cashier who succeeded in getting my account at Cox's debited with 500 francs, which I had drawn as late at the 14th June ! On the following dat, at about an hours' notice, we proceeded to an airfield near St. Nazaire and there we hung about until the next evening when we, at last, received orders to march to the docks. A tender was just loading when I brought the Company alongside, only to be told that it was practically full and there were no more going out that night. I managed to squeeze 1 Sergeant and 15 O.R.s on board and they at least were saved the catastrophe of the following day.

We camped out on the quay that night and were on the first tender in the morning. Many other tenders quickly followed and it was not long before the Lancastria had been 5,000 and 6,000 on board. Even so we still remained at anchor although enemy planes made two reconnaissance flights over us in the early afternoon. When the actual attack was made, at about 3.45pm., I had just gone to my cabin which I was sharing with my O.C., so I have never been able to confirm or refute the very general impression that the bomb came down through the ship's funnel. The force of the explosion was certainly terrific and completely spoilt two very good whiskys and sodas which I had just poured out ! The ship almost immediately took a heavy list and on making my way forward I found it was impossible to do anything as the water was pouring in and the place was an absolute shambles. The loss of life from the explosion alone must have been very heavy. I, then made contact with Capt. Sim (as he then was) and CSM (later Major) F W Hall. The latter had the bad luck to get a dislocated ankle, but we were able to get him to the upper deck. By this time the ship was sinking rapidly (I believe she went down within about 20 minutes of being hit), and the three of us took to the water.

I made for an overturned life boat some little distance away and thanks to the help of a Sergeant, who was already there, I was able to clamber on to it, but the thick oil on the water made swimming nearly impossible and doubtless contributed to the loss of life. The enemy plane was still hanging around, machine gunning men in the water. Fortunately, the arrival of a RAF patrol drove him off. I would like to pay particular tribute to the excellent morale of the men who were in the water with me for over an hour, and the rescue work carried out by the small French drifters and our own destroyers was indeed splendid.

I was eventually picked up by the destroyer "Highlander" and never shall I forget the wonderful kindness of the Senior Service. They could not do enough for us. The total loss on the Lancastria was subsequently given me by a Staff Officer, who was onboard, as 3,300. In my own Company the loss was approximately 50 per cent., and I believe this was fairly general. On returning to England I was asked, by GHQ., 2nd Echelon, to submit a report of the occurrence to War Office, and on transferring to my copy I find that the following A.M.P.C. Coys., in addition to my own, were said to have been on board : 28, 50, 62, 67, 73 (of which Major (later Lt.Col.) J H Courage was O.C.) 75 and 108.

In endeavouring to place on record my recollections of this tragic event I would ask the indulgence of those of my readers who were also on that ill-fated ship and whose knowledge and memories are probably far better than my own.

Major A G W Tonkin

The following list of Other Ranks of the Royal Pioneer Corps who lost their lives owing to the bombing and sinking of the Lancastria is given as supplied by War Office - It may not be complete - If anyone knows definitely of any other Officer or Other Ranks who lost their lives in this occasion please send details to me.
Details of Officer Casualties are not listed.

I read with interest of the sinking of the Lancastria which was sunk off St Nazaire in the Bay of Biscay. It was on June the 17th about 4.00pm,Monday it was, and she was under water by 4.20pm, as I was one of the few who stood on its side almost to the last trying to released a boat from its bearings, when I noticed L/Cpl Kesson whom I noticed was amongst the missing. He was clinging to an upturned boat just before I jumped into the water with a few more pioneers of the 67th Coy. I read the note of Capt C A Scott of Kingsland, Newtown, Mon., dated 19 Sept 1947. At time of the Lancastria he was a Lieutenant in the 67th Company. He mentions that he last saw Sgt Thompson in the ship's canteen, well Sir, I saw him sitting on the side of the ship as she lay before going under, also was Cpl Butcher of the 67th and a Private Page, who died, I believe on Wednesday morning in the hospital, I was in at St Nazaire. I also saw two more of our Company, but sorry to say I have forgotten their names, one was the store-keepers assistant, the other one a private from Mablethorpe.

As it is so long ago I cannot remember their names which I know would be of great help to you. I know they are both dead as one tried to cling hold of the cabin door to which I was clinging to with a boy of the ship's crew. I helped him to get with some of his mates who were sitting on the keel of the upturned boat, after which I was picked up by a small fishing boat taking back men to docks at St Nazaire. I was afterwards taken to the civilian hospital worked by Nuns. It was June the 21st, 1940, when I and ten other ranks of Buffs and Manchesters and a Belgian woman were taken on board a British cruiser and landed at Plymouth the following day. We arrived at a military hospital there for several weeks treatment. I hope to give more information in the future, when I can come across some of my old comrades.

Cpl A Pemberton
Pioneer Corps

Of the many service reunions that are held it would be difficult to find one with such poigant memories as that commemorating so great a tragedy as the bombing and sinking of the S.S. Lancastria, off St Nazaire on the 17th June 1940. Coming as it did, very soon after Dunkirk, it has never excited any great comment either from the Press or the BBC in spite of the fact that the loss of life was in the region of 3,300, and thus becomes the greatest sea disaster of all time. Incidentally, a list of about 400 other ranks of the Royal Pioneer Corps who lost their lives appeared in the magazine in June 1947, following an account I then wrote of the disaster.

To mark the 11th Anniversary nearly a hundred of the survivors mustered on the Horse Guards Parade and, headed by a Band and Guard of the Streatham Unit, No 324 Sea Cadet Group, marched to the Cenotaph where a wreath was placed by Lt Col Goodwin. A service conducted by the Rev E Wilson Carlile B.D., with a choir kindly provided by the Church Army, included a special prayer and the beautiful hymn, "O God our help in ages past."

At almost the exact hour that the Lancastria was sunk the survivors again took to the water, but this time it was on the firm deck of a Thames pleasure steamer and after an enjoyable cruise the party were the guests of His Majesty's Yeomen Warders at the Tower of London, and were personally welcomed by the Governor, Col. E H Carkeet James, OBE MC. After a specially organised tour of the Tower a very happy time was spent at the Wardens Social Club and the survivors had the great pleasure of meeting once again the Captains of several of the ships that did such excellent rescue work when the disaster occurred, including Captain W A Dallmeyer, DSO., RN who commanded the destroyer HMS Highlander, and to whom the writer will ever be under a debt of gratitude. The party were also privileged to witness the unique and picturesque "Ceremony of the Keys," which had its origin some 700 years ago and has several times been broadcast.

And Lang Syne brought to an end a memorable day and the greatest credit must be given to Major C V Petit for his excellent work as honorary organiser.

Major A G W Tonkin, T.D.
Royal Pioneer Corps

During a short holiday in Brittany this year I took the opportunity of visiting the British War Cemetary at La Baule. Needless to say the cemetery was in absolutely first class condition, flowers and close cut grass reminding one very much of an English garden. There are about five hundred servicemen buried there including British, Canadian, New Zealand and Polish airmen and commandoes. But my main interest was in Lancastria men.

This ship you will recall, sunk off St Nazaire on 17th June, 1940 when evacuating forces. There were about 5,000 aboard her and about 2,500 were picked up by other ships. Of the 2,500 drowned, most were trapped in the Lancastria and went down with her. A number of bodies were subsequently washed up on the beaches and were buried by local people in their village cemetaries. After the war the French Government gave land for the purpose of bringing the bodies into one cemetery.

I was unable to find any grave of a comrade known to me, but I took all the details I could of members of the Corps whose last resting place is in this lovely little cemetery and in case others might remember them and might like to know where they are, I append the list here.

Major F H Blackburn
Royal Pioneer Corps

Lieutenant R Haynes, AMPC, narrlow avoided death. He had been standing two yeards from the hatch when the explosion occurred and was thrown to the deck. He relates his story: "As I lay there waiting for the debris to fall I began to pray. It must have been only seconds, but it seemed like ages and I prayed like hell. Then I felt a blow against my back. A rifle had hit me. I was relieved it was not a Bren gun !

Lieutenant R Haynes
AMPC

A company sergeant of the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps, who had been allocated to one of the holds, related his story: "I gave the order to man the hosepipes, for smoke was coming in the hatch. It was impossible to obey, because the troops were jammed so tight in the alleyways. Just then the ship gave a sudden lurch to port until she was listing at an angle of 45 degrees. We were thrown off our feet. From the bridge came the order: "Every man for himself," and I chucked hatchboards over the side to act as rafts when we got into the water. By this time the ship was beginning to sink and her propellers were right out of the sea... as two of the lifeboats were dropping down the towering side of the Lancastria, they capsized. One had about 120 people on board including two French women and two children, aged about five. They were flung into the water. One woman flung her baby into the water and dived in after it; she was a strong swimmer, and after picking up the child she made off to one of the lifeboats...

Forward was a soldier with a Bren gun rattling away with all he'd got. He stuck it out even when the water was up to his waist. His gun was silenced only when he was washed away from it. A grand lat. I hope he was saved. Just before the ship capsized and went down, some of our men... (laughed in the face of death) (we called ourselves The Thin Red Line) and scrambled on to her uppermost side. There they stood, ... (with an immaculately dressed British officer coolly smoking a cigarette) knowing that they had no chance. They went down like brave men, singing 'Roll out the Barrel... (let's have a barrel of fun) !

Company Sergeant
AMPC

A sergeant of the AMPC had been in the stokehold during the attack. Tracing his way into the accommodation area he rushed to the side of a French woman and her eight year old child. He assisted them up a companionway, which was hampered by escaping steam from fractured pipes. To avoid getting burnt they held handkerchiefs over their faces. He eventually got them aboard a lifeboat and was then told to join them.

Sergeant
AMPC

Navy personnel were not allowed to take cameras on board but as a volunteer in the naval stores, he managed to keep his camera with him wherever he went. His younger brother Arthur Clements, now 84, says: "He was a photographic nut. He took thousands of 'prints' as he called them of his war experiences all over the world." But as well as taking pictures he also played his part in the rescue operation, downing his camera to help survivors. "He did all he could," recalls his brother. "He even pulled a little baby out of the sea."

He talked afterwards about the soldiers who had been ordered not to abandon
their rifles. He watched them drowning under the weight of their heavy weapons and said he shouted at them to let go of them. Sadly many didn't listen."

Valerie Billings of the Portsmouth Naval Museum, who interviewed Mr Clements before his death in 1999, says it was an enormous stroke of luck that he was able to take the photographs. "It was an amazing coincidence, firstly that he had a camera on board at all. Secondly, he had no film for the camera but happened to meet a sailor on his way to Saint-Nazaire who swapped him a camera film for a pair of socks from the NAAFI stores and it was with that film that he took these pictures."

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