Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

See "Michael O'Driscoll, who was in the Dunedin Star when she struck a submerged object"

I am trying to find out info about my dad who i am told was shipwrecked on the Dunedin star in WW2 off the skeleton coast. Unfortunetly here in the UK it seems to still be a closly gaurded secret.I wonder can you help.?

Regards,
J Ward

Hello again,

If you go to the first message which has the link to the Skeleton Coast, then scroll down to Appendix A, click on that and you will find a list of all survivors both passengers and crew members from Dunedin Star and how each was rescued. but there is no listing of any one named WARD.

There are two books you may want to follow up on.

1. Taffrail wrote Blue Star Line at War.1939-1945. Published by W. Foulsham of London in 1973, and

2. Dunedin Star. By Jim Thompson, published privately. Describes his experiences as a Cadet on board the ship, when she was wrecked on the Skeleton Coast.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Mackenzie.

Here is the page from a great site:
http://www.bluestarline.org/dunedin1.html

There is an online book "SKELETON COAST" by John H Marsh

http://www.rapidttp.co.za/skeleton/index.html

and the list of illustrations from the book
http://www.rapidttp.co.za/skeleton/illustr.html

Dunedin Star 1. Beached in November 1942 on the Skeleton Coast West Africa.

Dunedin Star hard and fast aground, as first seen from the air.

Dunedin Star, some months after her going aground in November 1942

Ventura Bomber K bogged in sand, after landing 2 miles away from the stranded Dunedin Star.
The aircraft was attempting to rescue women and babies from the wrecked ship.

back to letters index