Letters

Reference to the recovery of any bodies from the loss of Athenia?

Martin,

Have you ever seen any reference to the recovery of any bodies from the loss of Athenia?

If so, how did the authorities dispose of them?

More problems from me, you can see how much I rely on your help for the difficult questions!!

Best wishes, hope your day is fine.

Mac.


Hi Mac.

I can find no mention of the recovery of bodies from the Athenia. All of the articles are about the whereabouts and welfare of the survivors. Presumably those that died were below deck and went down with the ship, apart from that terrible accident with the propeller of the Knute Nelson. The survivors seemed to have been in the lifeboats for some hours before being rescued, so I guess their immediate objective would have been staying alive themselves, tending to wounded, children, etc., not the recovery of any bodies. Sorry I can't help much with this. I wonder if you search for some of the English casualties of the Athenia on the CWGC site whether you find any that were recovered and buried in cemeteries?
 
Kind regards, 
Martin


Martin,

I have checked several of those who died and were British on the CWGC site. eg

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=3167563

They just show under the last column SS Athenia.

Thanks. 
Mac.


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