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. 

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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...

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Other Subjects

William Jerry

William Jerry

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Jodi Leigh Wallace

Jodi Leigh Wallace

Non-British, killed by the Bali bomb.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
Mihaela Otto

Mihaela Otto

Mihaela Draganescu was born on 18 December 1958 in Romania who came to the UK in 1984. She was briefly married but when the marriage broke down she retained her married surname of Otto. Living in M...

Person, Tragedy, Romania

3 memorials
Andre Spitzer

Andre Spitzer

Fencing master and coach. Born in Timișoara, Romania. In 1956 he moved to Israel where he served in the air force and attended the National Sport Academy, where he studied fencing. Representing Isr...

Person, Sport / Games, Tragedy, Germany, Israel/Palestine, Romania

1 memorial
Sidney Wright (Jnr)

Sidney Wright (Jnr)

Killed in the Camberwell Green air-raid, aged 21, during his own wedding party.

Person, Tragedy

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial