The new ship was launched on 9 april 1921, and made her maiden voyage on 25 may 1922 from southampton to new york city. A britishgerman coproduction of the bbc and ard, it was directed by german uwe jansen and written by british. Part two uboat commander werner hartenstein has torpedoed the laconia and then mounted an extraordinary rescue operation. This marks the dvd debut of the program, with a total running time of 171 minutes. Season 1 episode 2 the sinking of laconia sbs on demand. The sinking of the laconia is a twopart television film, first aired on 6 and 7 january 2011 on bbc two, about the laconia incident. The laconia was sunk by a german uboat off the coast.
So when u156 finally sank the laconia and everything turned to watery chaos, it was hard not to think. The sinking of the british liner laconia, with 2,500 souls aboard, including some 1,800 italian. Werner hartenstein, realizing that italians pows were among the passengers, strove to aid in their rescue. The sinking of the rms laconia marked a major turning point in world war ii. The sinking of the laconia first aired on bbc2 in january 2011, then in the united states on the ovation channel in april 2012. This twopart drama brings to life one of the most of the dramatic stories of world war ii. Laconia british troop transport ships hit by german u.
The sinking of the laconia is on bbc two at 9pm on thursday, 6 january. The tsms lakonia was a greekowned cruise ship which caught fire and sank north of madeira on 22 december 1963. The sinking of the laconia part 1 bbc movie the laconia incident refers to the controversial events surrounding the sinking and subsequent aborted rescue attempt of a british troopship in the. Both the city and the land of the surrounding lagoons is sinking. The laconia incident was a series of events surrounding the sinking of a british troopship in the atlantic ocean on 12 september 1942, during world war ii, and a subsequent aerial attack on german and italian submarines involved in rescue attempts. Duffy relates the story of the sinking of the british liner laconia by the german uboat u156. The last voyage of the lakonia deadly christmas cruise posted on december 28, 2010 by rick spilman forty seven years ago, passengers on the cruise ship laconia were promised a marvelous christmas cruise to sunny madeira and the canary islands. The walking dead 10x12 negan tricks alpha clip hd jeffrey dean morgan, samantha morton duration. Logged i was proud to be involved with planning qe2s 50 year conference in september 2017 in clydebank bruce nicholls. She carried a motley crew of women, children, wounded soldiers and italian prisoners of war.
Bbc the sinking of the rms laconia in world war ii. Rms laconia, carrying 2,732 crew, passengers, soldiers and prisoners of war, was torpedoed and sunk by u156, a german uboat, off the west african. Documentary following the story of the sinking of the cunard liner laconia in world war ii through the personal testimonies of six survivors. Watch full length episodes, video clips, highlights and more. The drama is based upon real events that occurred during world war ii when a german uboat torpedoed a british ship that was transporting civilians and italian pows off the coast of africa. Werner hartenstein torpedoed a large target in the south atlantic in position 05. Watch the sinking of the laconia add to watchlist this dramatic documentary series uses interviews with survivors to tell the true story of the british troopship laconia, which was sunk in 1942 by a german uboat while positioned hundreds of miles off the coast of africa, travelling from cape town to the united kingdom. Concluding part of the gripping, factbased wwii drama. The large vessel was the british liner laconia 19,695 tons which sank at 2323 hours. Watch the sinking of the laconia online full episodes of. When war broke out, the ship was commandeered by the british government for use as a troopship and fitted with eight sixinch guns. Italy and the laconia tragedy rms laconia in 1922 on september 12, 1942 the british armed troopship rms laconia was attacked by the german submarine u156 under lt.
The laconia sailed on a constantly zigzagging course. Commanded by kl werner hartenstein, she was one of the. As the u156 mounts an extraordinary rescue operation, an unwitting american bomber spots the uboat and moves in to attack. As the u156 mounts an extraordinary rescue operation, an unwitting american bomber spots the. Jan 07, 2011 so when u156 finally sank the laconia and everything turned to watery chaos, it was hard not to think. The sinking of the laconia is a twopart tv film, first aired on 6 and 7 january 2011 on bbc two, about the laconia incident. On the 12th september 1942 the laconia a cruise ship turned troop ship was torpedoed and sunk by german submarine u156, commanded by werner hartenstein. I am not entirely certain that it is not all a dream. The sinking of the laconia and the uboat war goodreads. Every other day the passengers and the crew would be called up on the decks to stand by the lifeboats that had been assigned to them. When realising that there are pows and civilians on board, and that they are facing.
Rms laconia, carrying 2,732 crew, passengers, soldiers and prisoners of war, was torpedoed and. Duffy relates the story of the sinking of the british liner laconia by the german u boat u156. Laconia sailed on her maiden voyage on 20th january 1912, from liverpool to new york, but was later on the liverpool to boston route. After torpedoing her, boat discovered that the ship had 1500 italian. Bruce sorry to hear about your grandfather not surviving the sinking of the laconia in 1963 which is a tragic story in your family history. Having sunk the ship, hartenstein should have left them to. On 8 march 1963, the johan van oldenbarnevelt was sold to the general steam navigation company of greece.
Dramatisation of the true story of the sinking of the liner laconia by a german. The latest information from bantry, the only other port at which survivors were known to have landed, confirms the report of the death of mrs. The liner laconia on sept 12, 1942 at 2207 hours u156 under the command of kptlt. Sep 19, 2007 the laconia incident was a series of events surrounding the sinking of a british troopship in the atlantic ocean during world war ii and an attack on the subsequent rescue attempts. The rms laconia was a cunardwhite star liner which had been requisitioned by the british government and converted to a troop transport in 1941. With andrew buchan, ken duken, franka potente, thomas kretschmann. On 12 september 1942, rms laconia carrying some 2,732 crew, passengers, soldiers and prisoners of war pows, was torpedoed and sunk by the german uboat submarine. As seen on ovation in september 1942 at the height of the battle for the atlantic, a german uboat torpedoed the rms laconia, sinking the british ship without knowing that it carried more than 2,000 passengers, many of them civilians. At the outbreak of the second world war she was converted into an armed merchant cruiser, and subsequently a troopship. The sinking of the laconia watch full episodes and clips. This inquiry proceeded from an interest in determining the covert act which precipitated the entrance of the united states into war with germany in april, 1917. Floyds story appeared in newspapers throughout the united states. Her decks and public rooms were renamed and the aft swimming pool was.
The sinking of the laconia, which begins on bbc2 on thursday, tells of the extraordinary events that took place in the south atlantic in september 1942. The laconia, a former cunard white star ship put to. Sep, 2018 part two uboat commander werner hartenstein has torpedoed the laconia and then mounted an extraordinary rescue operation. The uboat war in world war two kriegsmarine, 19391945 and world war one kaiserliche marine, 19141918 and the allied efforts to counter the threat. The sinking of the laconia by ken duken, franka potente.
Radio message from laconia sent on sept 12, 2222 hours on 600 metersfrequency sss sss 0434 south 1125 west laconia torpedoed shortly after the sinking the crew of u156 was amazed to hear italian voices in the sea amongst the people both in lifeboats and also struggling in the water itself. Primarily used as an emigrant ship, she could carry 300 in first class, 350 in second class and 2,200. Jul 15, 2012 the sinking of the laconia first aired on bbc2 in january 2011, then in the united states on the ovation channel in april 2012. The laconia order is constantly reused to show the germans in a bad light but why was the laconia order given. Jan 08, 2011 documentary following the story of the sinking of the cunard liner laconia in world war ii through the personal testimonies of six survivors. Duffy discusses in rich detail the dire and dramatic true story of the sinking of the british liner laconia by the dreaded uboat 156, a vessel crowded with 1800 italian pows, 103 polish soldiers, and 463 officers and crew. The laconia incident was a series of events surrounding the sinking of a british troopship in the. The sinking of the cunard line rms laconia i part ii. Jan 06, 2011 watch a clip from alan bleasdales the sinking of the laconia, a twopart drama based on the true story of the allied ship rms laconia, sunk in the second world war by a german uboat, which then. The sinking of the laconia, 1942 the navy records society. The story of the laconia incident began on the morning of september 12 1942. On september 12, 1942, as laconia sailed crowded with 1,800 italian prisoners of war, 103 polish soldiers, 286 mostly severely wounded british military personnel, 80 civilians, and 463 officers and crew, she was hit by two. Commanded by kl werner hartenstein, she was one of the many type ixcs stationed along the west coast of africa.
Historically, pumping groundwater from beneath the city also contributed to the sinking, but such pumping was stopped. The laconia sinking and the zimmermann telegram as key factors in the public reaction against germany. As laconia went down, u156 surfaced and sent a signal that brought two other uboats, an italian submarine, and three. The sinking of the laconia history yesterday channel. All of our lifeboats were swinging out over the side of the ship, so that if we were hit they could be lowered in a hurry. She then sailed for genoa, italy, and arrived on 7 march 1963. Two of the laconias stewardesses passed boiling basins of navy cocoa and aided in. The sea level around venice is rising at almost the same rate, exacerbating the problem. A britishgerman coproduction of the bbc and ard, it was directed by german uwe jansen and written by british alan bleasdale. Six hundred miles from the coast of africa, in september 1942, a german uboat, u156, sinks the british troopship laconia which is en route from cape town to the united kingdom. Now, almost a year later, we received the results on dvd in english and german.
The sinking of the laconia 14th march 2011 dvd 171 mins 1. German sailors heard a cry for help in italian and commenced a rescue operation. She was a twinfunnelled, twinpropeller steamship, 625 feet long, 18,000grt. The sinking of the laconia tv miniseries 2010 imdb. Her decks and public rooms were renamed and the aft swimming pool was enlarged. Sinking by hartenstein british laconia in naval square ff 7721 310 unfortunately with 1500 italian prisoners. The sinking of the laconia laconia ger le naufrage du laconia fr 2011. I have serious doubts whether this is a real story.
The true story of the allied ship laconia, sunk in wwii by a german uboat, which then surfaced against orders to rescue the civilian crew. She was returning to britain from egypt in the late summer of 1942 when, off the coast of west africa, laconia was torpedoed by u156, a type ix uboat under the command of korvettenkapitan werner hartenstein. Jan 06, 2011 watch the sinking of the laconia add to watchlist this dramatic documentary series uses interviews with survivors to tell the true story of the british troopship laconia, which was sunk in 1942 by a german uboat while positioned hundreds of miles off the coast of africa, travelling from cape town to the united kingdom. About the sinking of the laconia the sinking of the. The last voyage of the lakonia deadly christmas cruiseold. Sinking of the laconia available in dvd ship this item this item is available online through marketplace sellers. U156s deck is crowded with allied survivors fished out of the south. At the time of the incident she was transporting mostly italian prisoners of war from cape. Jan 01, 2011 the sinking of the laconia, which begins on bbc2 on thursday, tells of the extraordinary events that took place in the south atlantic in september 1942. The remarkable true wwii story superb the daily mail u.
On september 12 1942, the british troopship laconia, in accordance with the rules of engagement, was sunk off the west african coast by the german uboat u156. Twopart 2011 miniseries which originally aired on the beeb depicting the real life events surrounding the sinking of hms laconia by a uboat in september 1942, and the subsequent rescue of the survivors by the crew of the submarine. Jun 07, 2016 the sinking of the laconia part 1 bbc movie the laconia incident refers to the controversial events surrounding the sinking and subsequent aborted rescue attempt of a british troopship in the. Buy online, pick up in store is currently unavailable, but this item may be available for instore purchase. The liner was carrying a 6man crew, some 80 civilians, military material and personnel 268 men and approx. Documentary telling the true story of the sinking of the liner laconia by a german uboat in 1942 through the eyes of six survivors. How many of those who tuned into the sinking of the laconia would. The sinking of the laconia and the uboat war university of. U156 was on patrol in the south atlantic, off the bulge of west africa, midway between liberia and the ascension island. The drama is based upon real events that occurred during world war ii when a german uboat torpedoed a british ship that was transporting.
The film producers from teamworx visited us in october 2010 asking for support of a project, they were engaged in cooperation with a british production team. The main extra attraction is a highly engaging 29minute documentary titled the sinking of the laconia. On september 12, 1942, as laconia sailed crowded with 1,800 italian. Dramatisation of the true story of the sinking of the liner laconia by a german uboat in 1942 through the eyes of six survivors. The sinking of the laconia kieran kinsella august will be an exciting month for fans of british tv as acorn media are set to release the critically acclaimed bbc two production of the sinking of the laconia. Jan 07, 2011 the walking dead 10x12 negan tricks alpha clip hd jeffrey dean morgan, samantha morton duration. Jan 06, 2011 the sinking of the rms laconia marked a major turning point in world war ii. After sinking the laconia, a uboat attempts to save its civilian crew. The following is an extract from a letter by horst bredow of september 2011 directed to all members of the ftu. Dec 28, 2010 the last voyage of the lakonia deadly christmas cruise posted on december 28, 2010 by rick spilman forty seven years ago, passengers on the cruise ship laconia were promised a marvelous christmas cruise to sunny madeira and the canary islands. The sinking of the cunard line rms laconia i part v.