Athenia Torpedoed: The U-Boat Attack that Ignited the Battle of the Atlantic

by Francis M. Carroll

Just hours after World War II was declared, Germany struck its first blow, firing without warning on the passenger liner Athenia. The British ship was loaded with Americans, Canadians, and Europeans attempting to cross the Atlantic before the outbreak of war. As the ship sank, 1,306 were rescued but 112 people were lost, including thirty Americans. This account of the disaster, based on new research, tells a dramatic story of tragedy and triumph, as historian Francis Carroll chronicles the survivors' experiences and explains how the incident shaped policy in the U.S., UK, and Canada. For Britain, it was seen as a violation of international law and convoys were sent to protect shipping. In Canada, Athenia's sinking rallied support to go to war. In the United States, it exposed Germany as a serious threat and changed public opinion enough to allow the country to sell munitions and supplies to Britain and France.

Genres: History

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

My great uncle Ian was an assistant steward on the passenger liner Athenia. He was married with no children and aged 26, the same age as the U-boat captain who launched the torpedo which sank the Athenia on 3rd September 1939, only hours after the declaration of war between German and Britain. He was one of only 19 crew members who died that night. Despite the drama of the Germans sinking an unarmed liner carrying mainly American and Canadians trying to escape the war in Europe it is an episode which has received very little attention. I stumbled across Max Caulfield's book from 1958 "A Night of Terror" about the sinking, but Francis Carroll's book appears to be the first properly researched exploration of these events since then. Understandably it is largely told from the perspective of the survivors, but has good analysis of the consequences (or lack of consequences in American engagement in the war at that point) of the sinking. From a personal perspective I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to find out exactly what happened to my great-uncle Ian from the book, although I can have a better idea of what the people on the Athenia went through. My granny was able to vividly remember the events of her big brother's death, the false hopes that her parents held out in the weeks after the sinking that he would survive. He was a strong swimmer and with the boats which picked up survivors heading to ports in three countries their faint hopes were dragged on for an interminable time, even thinking that they recognised his face in a newspaper photograph of survivors disembarking from the City of Flint in Halifax. It is a very readable account of the events, well researched and referenced. I would have thought that in the appendices a list of the names of those 112 people that perished on the ship may have helped us remember them as individuals, rather than just numbers, but perhaps the author had a reason not to do that. The story of the sinking of the Athenia is a fascinating one, and it is good to see it is not forgotten.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first shots of World War II took place on the ocean and the first victims were civilians. I’m surprised it took me so long to learn about the Athenia, considering my usual shipwreck awareness, and I can’t recall how I first heard about this tragedy except probably coming across it in another book. This thoroughly researched account demonstrates the chaotic first days of the war, when Germany disregarded the rules and agreements their government had made following the Great War, particularly in terms of submarine warfare. Not quite a boat of refugees, it nonetheless was filled with all manner of nationalities trying to get home or escape from the impending conflict. The misinformation the Germans used following the attack typified what was to come. I also found it incredibly interesting that the United States did not see this as a reason to become militarily involved at that point (much like after the sinking of the Lusitania) and it would take another year and half and a direct attack to draw the country in.

Recommended if you like naval history, WWII, survival stories, and shipwrecks.

[Darryl Updegrove · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first worried it might not be very interesting, but good stuff through to the end.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

First shots of World War 2