Torpedoed!: A World War II Story of a Sinking Passenger Ship and Two Children's Survival at Sea

Gr 4–6—Many people know about the sinking of the Lusitania, but few probably know of the sinking of the Athenia. Mistakenly torpedoed by a German U-boat in the very early days of World War II, the Athenia was a passenger ship traveling from Great Britain to Montreal, Canada, in September 1939. On board were 1,102 innocent passengers and 316 crew members fleeing newly at-war Europe. Over 100 never reached their destination. This brief history of the disaster uses the accounts of three survivors—ages one, 11, and 14—to relate the story. This framework allows the author to provide details of individuals as well as broad historical information about the incident and rescues. The author vividly describes the harrowing night survivors spent on the open sea—cold, wet, shocked, fearful, and alone. Six ships responded to the vessel's SOS call and by dawn, the survivors were being rescued and attended to. Some continued to Canada, but most were forced to return to Europe. After a long wait, some survivors nervously returned to the United States. This little-known slice of World War II history is particularly interesting for its portrayals of attitudes regarding refugees—so many were trying to flee Europe but not welcomed. Also noteworthy is the compassion shown to survivors; they were received and cared for by all they encountered. Another interesting point is the massive cover-up by the Germans, who eventually accepted responsibility at the Nuremberg Trials.