Ed West's invaluable service -Lancastria air photo found

[Chris Going]

Thanks John, for putting me on my mettle -

Evidence for: the date of the photo, June 17th 1940 is the day the Lancastria was attacked. The ship was attacked in the afternoon. Time of photo, given as 18.52 hrs. The ship heeled over on its side, and lost much fuel oil which (it seems) GAF tried to set alight. Image shows ship on its ?starboard side, with leaking oil. German caption states ...passagierschiff (Truppentransporter). etwa 10000t. Lancastria was a passenger ship taken over as a troopship, but its grt was, I think c 16000t. Lastly some sources cite its loss as 'off La Rochelle'.

Evidence against: If location is St Nazaire not La Rochelle ship is not Lancastria. Ship is described as 10,000t rather than 16000t. If so then it's too small for Lancastria.

Google earthed both places but cannot work out where we are.

So -Jury has gone out again for the moment until we have a precise location of 1) photo, and 2) wreck.

I still find the coincidence of date, event, and subject fairly compelling, and think we really ought to locate this picture propery, wherever it actually is. I also take this opportunity to thank Ed West once more as without him this sort of debate would not be taking place.


best


ChrisG