Vehicle    From 2/7/1940  To 2/7/1940

Arandora Star

Categories: Tragedy

Countries: Germany, Italy

Deporting Italian and German prisoners of war the cruise ship was between Liverpool and Canada when it was struck by a torpedo from a German submarine. Of the 734 Italians on board, 486 died. Of the 479 Germans, 175 died. Amongst the dead were the father and grandfather of Paolozzi.

May 2009 - The BBC informs that there is a campaign for a memorial to the Welsh Italians who died on the Arandora Star, for the 70th anniversary in 2010. And here that the Teesside-based Italians will be commemorated on a plaque at Middlesbrough Town Hall. There are already memorials in Liverpool, Glasgow and Italy, as well as the one in London.

September 2023: The BBC reported on the recent identification of a body that was washed up on the South Ayrshire coast in August 1940.  ".. the unidentified individual was buried in an unmarked grave in Girvan's Doune Cemetery. More than 80 years later, detailed research has revealed his name - Francesco D'Inverno ..." We find the following story puzzling - it's not clear how, since his grave was unmarked, how this name has been associated with it. 

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Arandora Star

Commemorated ati

St Peters Church - Arandora Star

This carved memorial shows 3 drowning men reaching up to the cross from the w...

Read More

Other Subjects

George Stephen Funnell

George Stephen Funnell

For more information about this hero click on the picture of his plaque.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Sam Ly

Sam Ly

On the Hyde Park memorial Sam’s name is given as ‘Sam Son Ly’. Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this man. Sam Son Ly was born on 8 May 1977 in Vietnam, but as a two-year-old child fled ...

Person, Tragedy, Australia, Vietnam

3 memorials
Andy Burdett B.A. (Hons)

Andy Burdett B.A. (Hons)

B.A. (Hons) is a university degree. Andrew Kevin Burdett was born on 12 December 1953. He died, aged 34 years, in the King's Cross Underground Station fire on 18 November 1987. The subsequent fire ...

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
William Gibson

William Gibson

Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Donald Collett

Donald Collett

Donald Henry Collett was born on 21 February 1954, the son of Donald Henry Collett (1931-2003) and Christine Veronica Collett née Rice (1934-2011). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 19...

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial