Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Full Scale Ships => Topic started by: Martin (Admin) on July 02, 2010, 02:32:58 pm

Title: Lancastria: Britain's forgotten disaster
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 02, 2010, 02:32:58 pm

Lancastria: Britain's forgotten disaster

Britain's worst ever maritime disaster, the 1940 sinking of the troopship Lancastria, which claimed the lives of between four and six thousand men, has all but been erased from history.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8782000/8782971.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8782000/8782971.stm)



(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48235000/jpg/_48235589_001758329-2.jpg)

Title: Re: Lancastria: Britain's forgotten disaster
Post by: BarryM on July 02, 2010, 04:47:56 pm

My understanding is that the UK Government will not class the Lancastria as a war grave because, despite the high loss of military personnel, she was not a warship. The French have given her some protection, e.g. no diving allowed, but nothing else. Blame the MoD, I believe.

Barry M

Title: Re: Lancastria: Britain's forgotten disaster
Post by: Deep Diver on July 02, 2010, 05:04:55 pm

As an old diver, it was all ways said  that if any ship or aircraft went down in the sea  it was a war grave, so you could dive her, but not take from her.