2:04pm Thursday 17th June 2010
By Keith Hamilton
EXACTLY 70 years ago today Southampton suffered one of the blackest days in, not only, the city’s maritime history, but in the nation as a whole.
June 17, 1940 was a day of infamy when thousands of British servicemen and civilians were killed as two ships – each regular callers in Southampton – came under enemy bomber attack.
It was the greatest maritime disaster in Britain’s history as more people were killed on the ill-fated troopship Lancastria than on Titanic and Lusitania combined.
It is a story of defiance, bravery, and undaunted British spirit, but also one of government cover-up which left survivors feeling undervalued even to this day.
The Cunard liner Lancastria and Orient Line’s Oronsay, were anchored off the coast of France waiting to play their role in the British military evacuation from the beaches in and around the French port of St Nazaire.
With the sun behind them, Luftwaffe aircraft swooped down on a deadly bombing run targeting the two liners crammed with exhausted British nationals, as well as dejected and injured members of the British Expeditionary Force.
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