 A postcard of RMS Lancastria from 1927
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake |
|
| Owner | Anchor – (Cunard) |
| Builder | William Beardmore and Company |
| Launched | 31 May 1920 |
| Maiden voyage | 19 June 1922 |
| Out of service | 17 June 1940 |
| Fate | Sunk by German bombers on 17 June 1940 off St. Nazaire |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 16,243 GRT |
| Length | 578 ft (176 m) |
| Beam | 70 ft (21 m) |
| Height | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Draught | 31.4 ft (9.6 m) |
| Decks | 7 decks and a shelter deck |
| Installed power | 6 steam turbines, 2,500 nhp |
| Propulsion | Twin propellers |
| Speed | 16.5 knots (31 km/h; 19 mph) |
| Capacity |
|
| Crew | 300 |
RMS Lancastria was a British ocean liner requisitioned by the Government of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. She was sunk on 17 June 1940 during Operation Aerial. Having received an emergency order to evacuate British nationals and troops from France, the ship was loaded well in excess of its capacity of 1,300 passengers.[1] Modern estimates suggest that between 4,000 and 7,000 people died during the sinking — the largest single-ship loss of life in British maritime history.[2][3]
- ^ "Lancastria Association of Scotland". Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ Fenby 2005, p. 247.
- ^ "BBC - History - World Wars: The 'Lancastria' - a Secret Sacrifice in World War Two". www.bbc.co.uk.