Letters

Linda Dalton survived sinking of Athenia

Hello Mac

My Grandma was a survivor on the Athenia. As I recall her story, her lifeboat was drawn into the propellers of the ship. She spent 6 month in a UK hospital and then sent to Canada. Her name was Linda Dalton. Do you have any record of her in your files?

Much thanks 
Trent Walker
Denver, CO


Trent,

Thank you for your email, I do not have Linda Dalton listed , but then I do not have a complete list of those picked up by the British destroyers Electra, Escort and Fame, who took survivors to Scotland.

I presume that as your Grandma spent 6 months in hospital it was probably in Glasgow.

It was the Norwegian Tanker Knute Nelson's propellers that chopped up one of the life boats with 56 survivors on board, it is my understanding, she had stopped her propellers as this lifeboat was about to go alongside to discharge her load, all of a sudden, the propellers started to turn, the boat was drawn under the tanker's stern and was chopped up by the then turning propellers, sinking this life boat.

Many of her occupants were thus killed, and the destroyer Escort rescued some of them, and then went off to land them at Greenock on the Clyde.

We will add Linda May WalkerLinda Dalton to list on Ahoy of those landed in Scotland.

Thank you for your interest.

Regards, 
Mackenzie
.


Thanks for your reply. I had the name wrong. She was Linda May Walker.

I thought the UK hospital was either in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Thanks very much
Trent

 

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