Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Sir,

I am an inhabitant of Saint-Nazaire and I exercise as profession harbour sailor. Since the age of my 12 years I navigate the entrance of the Loire and it is towards the age of 14 years that I began to ask questions on the wreck of Lancastria and it was not easy because the old sailors were not very communicative on this wreck, it is so at about the 1980's that I knew about it a little more on this disaster, maintaining I am 44 year old and I am a captain on the pilot boat to Saint-Nazaire.

I write you sir because I wish to make an Internet site on the wreck of the Lancastria, you go to say to me that there is many of it already and I answer you yes it's true, but my purpose is to diversify testimonies that is to put those of brave English soldiers and those of the nazairiens which carried assistance to the castaways of Lancastria with the risks which they took because the plane German always machine-gunned them, so I come to seek you for possible documents concerning Lancastria and vessels which were there this day there such as: HMS CAMBRIDGESHIRE, HMS HAVELOCK, HMS HIGHLANDER, HMS PUNJABI, HMS VANOC, Oracle, Oriel window, Oronsay, John Holt, Robert L Holt, City of Lancaster, Baharistan, Clan Ferguson, Floristan, Ulster Prince, Mobile City of, Cymbula, Fabian, Glenaffric and the HMT LANCASTRIA. The purpose of my site is that this tragedy which is 3-rd bigger disaster britanique is never forget of the English and French side. 

Watch to receive all my distinguished greetings

M beaujuge Y.

Monsieur, 

Je suis un habitant de Saint-Nazaire et j'exerce comme profession marin portuaire. Depuis l'âge de mes 12 ans je navigue sur l'entrée de la Loire et c'est vers l'âge de 14 ans que j'ai commencé à poser des questions sur le naufrage du Lancastria et cela n'a pas été facile car les vieux marins n'étaient pas très causant sur ce naufrage, c'est donc vers les années 1980 que j'en ai su un peu plus sur cette catastrophe, maintenant je suis âgé de 44 ans et je suis capitaine sur le bateau pilote à  Saint-Nazaire.

Je vous écris monsieur car je souhaite faire un site internet  sur le naufrage du lancastria  , vous allez me dire qu'il y en a beaucoup déjà et je vous réponds oui c'est vrai , mais mon but est de diversifier les témoignages c'est à dire mettre ceux des valeureux soldats anglais et ceux des nazairiens qui ont portés assistance aux naufragés du Lancastria avec les risques qu'ils prenaient car l'avion allemande les mitraillait toujours, donc je viens vous solliciter pour d'éventuels documents concernant le Lancastria et les navires qui s'y trouvaient ce jour là tel que: HMS Cambridgeshire, HMS Havelock, HMS Highlander, HMS Punjabi, HMS Vanoc, Oracle, Oriel, Oronsay, John Holt, Robert L Holt, City of Lancaster, Baharistan, Clan Ferguson, Floristan, Ulster Prince, City of Mobile, Cymbula, Fabian, Glenaffric et le  HMT Lancastria.  Le but de mon site est que cette tragédie qui est le 3ème plus grande catastrophe britanique ne soit jamais oublièe du côté anglais et français

veillez recevoir toutes mes salutations distinguées

M Beaujuge Y.

TK,

One from France, Lancastria, is one ship that was sunk after taking on thousands of British soldiers at Saint- Nazaire, fleeing from the German Army.

It was bombed and quickly sank, but there has always been dissent as to the number of dead.

I have read reports of 5,000 lost, others put it at a much lower figure, down to 2,000, it was this E-mail that sparked my putting a question on the Ahoy Forum.

There do seem to be a number of sites devoted to this vessel, I do not have any documents, and can only search the net, the same as my correspondent might.

I have sent him off a couple of sites.

I doubt we will ever find an accurate count of those who died on the 17th. of June in 1940, but I should do a piece for Ahoy about it all.

Mac.

Dear mister Mac
 
I am very satisfied that you have answers my mail, it is very kind of your part.
 
Effectively I will have the site of the Association of Lancastria and I also possess the book of which you give me references it is very nice of your part.
 
On the other hand what is very hard found they are photos of vessels as well as testimonies of people which frequented these vessels in times of peace at the moment I have any bus of it you know to Saint Nazaire all years is organized a ceremony every June 17 in memory of Lancastria, if you wish it I could send you photos of these ceremonies.
 
My purpose mister Mac it is that this tragedy which in fact of numerous died of which many English soldiers with an average of age of 23 years is never forgotten
 
Greetings
Yves

Dear mister Mac

I come to thank you for all that you sent to me I am there very touched it is very kind of your part, I would wish that if one day I can return you service not to hesitate has to ask me it will be a real pleasure

Thank you very much

Yves

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