Tomorrow Never Came:

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Full text of "Tomorrow Never Came The Story Of The S S Athenia"

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75 Years: SS Athenia:

On 3 September 1939, the SS Athenia, en route from Glasgow to Montreal, became the first victim of the Battle of the Atlantic when she was torpedoed and sunk by a U-boat. Two survivors of the wreck describe the attack, the dramatic evacuation into the lifeboats and the long night spent waiting for rescue.

Hope with all else occurring this year, we tribute Athenia.

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An extract from SHIPPING COMPANY LOSSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, published by the History Press.

ATHENIA (Captain James Cook). Bound for Montreal, sailed independently from Liverpool on 2 September, 1939. War was declared at 11am on the 3rd and, at 9.45pm, the ship was torpedoed by U.30 (Oblt. Fritz-Julius Lemp), and sank at 11am on the 4th in position 56°44´N 14°05´W. Of the 1103 passengers and 329 crew, 112 died. Of the survivors, 602 were picked up by the Knute Nelson (Nor.) (Captain Carl Johan Anderssen) and landed at Galway. Two hundred and twenty-three, picked up by the illuminated motor yacht Southern Cross (Swed.), transferred to the City of Flint (US) (Captain J.A. Gainard) and landed at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Four hundred and ninety-five picked up by the destroyers HMS Electra (LtCdr. S.A. Buss) and HMS Escort (LtCdr. J. Bostock), and landed at Greenock.

As u-boat commanders were instructed to observe the Hague Convention, which stated that merchant ships were not to be sunk without warning, Lemp contravened the instruction. This infuriated Hitler as many of the Athenia’s passengers were US citizens and the sinking might have brought the United States into the War.

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from "The Sea is Their Grave" by Billy McGee:

"Passenger liner Athenia, 13,465grt, (Donaldson Bros. & Black Ltd). On the evening of the 3rd September 1939 a few hours after Britain declared war on Germany, the Athenia sailing independently from the Clyde and Liverpool bound for Montreal with over 1100 passengers including women and children was attacked by U-30, 250 miles West of Donegal. One torpedo slammed into her port side near the engine room and the ship immediately began to develop a port list trapping a number of passengers below deck as the stairways collapsed. As the ship began to settle the order to abandon was given and the crew began to evacuate the passengers. Crewmembers fought desperately below deck searching for passengers trapped in their cabins, made more difficult by the lights being disabled by the explosion. The sound of bulkheads could be heard collapsing under the pressure of the in rushing sea and the night air became filled with the screams of women and children fighting for their lives in the pitch darkness. The majority of the ships lifeboats were successfully launched, though two met with accidents, one falling from the davits while being lowered throwing the occupants into the sea, while another capsized in rough seas. Transmitting a distress message, which was picked up, number of ships in the area, they quickly raced to the scene. On arriving they were met with the full horror of the situation. The Norwegian Merchant ship Knute Nelson, one of the first to arrive, whilst attempting to pick up the survivors from one of the boats accidentally pulled another boat under her stern, which was cut to pieces by the ships propeller killing most of the occupants. Three British Destroyers were soon on scene as well as the British Merchant ship City of Flint and the Swedish yacht Southern Cross, who rescued over 1300 passengers and crew. A total of 112 passengers and crew perished. The Battle of the Atlantic had begun. The rules of U-boat engagement were that no passenger ships should be attacked stemming from the worldwide outcry after the sinking of the Lusitania in W.W.I. The Commander of U-30, Fritz J Lemp was said to believe that the Athenia was an Armed Merchant Cruiser. Adolph Hitler worried about reprisals from America because of the amount of American passengers onboard at the time put his propaganda machine into action and denied all knowledge of the incident. Commander Lemp was recalled to Germany to help the cover up"

On 9th May 1941 U-110 under the command of Fritz J Lemp attacked a convoy along with U-201. After being spotted by the escort ships Aubretia, Bulldog, and Broadway, U-110 was forced to the surface after depth charges were dropped. Believing he was about to be rammed Lemp ordered his boat to be abandoned. At the very last moment HMS Bulldog turned to evade the collision when her Commander realized he could probably capture the U-boat. The story goes that Lemp jumped into the sea and tried to re-board his U-boat in an attempt to scuttle her, and was subsequently shot and drowned. On board U-110 was one of the latest Enigma machines.

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The 3rd September was the day that the SS Athenia was sunk just nine hours after Prime Minister Chamberlain declared the outbreak of war on the ‘wireless’. It should also be noted that the last casualties before VE Day was also a Merchant Ship also with the loss of merchant seafarers.

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The SS Athenia:

The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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The Last Moments of ATHENIA:

Remembered by Survivor Cathleen Schurr

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