The Tragic loss of the Arandora Star

2nd July 1940: Hundreds of 'Enemy Aliens' detained by Britain die when the ship transporting them to Canada is torpedoed

The luxury cruise liner SS Arandora Star, with a tennis court, swimming pool and splendid accommodation, before the war.

When Freddy Godshaw and his brother Walter, Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, were detained by the British in June they were held at Lingfield Race Course, which had been hurriedly converted into an Internment Camp. It was there that Walter was selected to join a group of detainees being sent to Canada. The British wanted to send as many detainees abroad, and out of the way, as possible. Freddy requested to stay with his brother. Because he was only sixteen the authorities decided he could not be sent abroad - but they got their request to stay together - a decison that probably saved Walter’s life. Because he had been listed to be transported on the Arandora Star.

Gunther Prien was one of several U-Boat capatains who got much publicity in Nazi Germany.

On the 2nd July 1940 Gunther Prien, the captain of U-boat U-47, faced the prospect of losing his position at the top of the league table of ships tonnage sunk per captain. His fame had been firmly established by the sinking of the battleship HMS Royal Oak, in his daring attack within the British home anchorage of Scapa Flow in 1939.

When Prien made his dawn sweep through his periscope on 2nd July he was amazed to see the 15,000 ton Arandora Star - and the opportunity to use his last torpedo of the patrol. The ship was self-evidently a passenger liner sailing away from Britain, yet she fell within the terms of engagement. She was seventy-five miles northwest of Ireland, sailing alone.

We were in a perfect position to attack with our last torpedo. I prayed it would work. After I gave the order to fire we waited, counting the seconds. They slipped by with painful slowness . . . Then suddenly, right amidships, a column of water rose above the target’s masthead and immediately afterwards we heard the crash of the detonation. In great haste, some lifeboats were launched and hundreds of heads bobbed in the water ... we retreated underwater.