I am researching the events leading up to, and after, the sinking of the RMS Rangitane on 27 November 1940 by the German surface raiders Orion and Komet, 300 miles off the coast of New Zealand on its way to Liverpool, England. She was the largest passenger liner to be sunk by surface raiders during WWII. Of the 312 on board, only 16 were to die as a result of the action. The survivors were imprisoned on the raiders for over three weeks during which time other ships were sunk and even more prisoners accumulated. Mainly due to the efforts of Lionel Upton, captain of the Rangitane, about 500 men, women and children were eventually released on the small tropical island of Emirau in what is now Papua New Guinea, but 150 men were transported back to Germany and POW camp. The survivors on Emirau became latter day Robinson Crusoes until rescued by the Australian authorities. At the time, the world press called it a 'rip-roaring' yarn.

The catalyst for this research was that my uncle by marriage, Frank Ellison, wanted to trace his best friend, Johnny Thompson, with whom he served on the Rangitane. Frank and Johnny spent the remainder of the war in the Milag Nord POW camp in Germany, together with another friend, Charlie Grant from the Afric Star, sunk by the Kormoran in February 1941. Since starting this research we have learnt that both Johnny and Charlie have died.

Although there are a number of published accounts, most are fairly superficial and many are contradictory. The Rangitane Story has been compiled from research of contemporary British, Australian and New Zealand newspaper reports, wartime diaries published in a number of books, the London Gazette, British Library, Imperial War Museum, National Maritime Museum, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Australian Government archives, private manuscripts, personal internet sites and first-hand accounts.

Research continues - if you can add or correct anything, please do not hesitate to contact me

Trevor Bell

Derbyshire, UK

A video clip of the Rangitane survivors landing in Australia is available for download. Go to:

www.britishpathe.com

and type in "german raider pacific" in the search box.

The video clip is over 3Mb. It also shows Captain Upton giving a speech thanking the Red Cross for their help for the survivors.