![]() |
|||||||||||||||
The
people of United Kingdom Fully support Ukraine In this there fight to remain a Free and Democratic Country May God Be With You |
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
![]() |
Melbourne
Star Blue Star Line |
![]() |
|||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||
|
![]() |
||||||||||||||
Melbourne
Star 1936 - 1943
|
|||||||||||||||
Official
Number
165326 |
|||||||||||||||
* | |||||||||||||||
Lest We Forget Friday 2nd April 1943 MV Melbourne Star was sunk by enemy torpedo in the Atlantic Ocean. 83 Crew, 6 RN Gunners 5 RANR Officers and 23 Passengers were lost whilst serving on this merchant ship during WWII. They gave their lives so that we can live in freedom. |
|||||||||||||||
'We Will Remember Them' | |||||||||||||||
* | |||||||||||||||
The
Blue
Star Line commenced
operations in 1911 with three ships. Owned
by the
Vestey family, better known for their chain of Dewhurst Butcher’s
Shops,
the fleet consisted entirely of refrigerated cargo ships. In 1926 the
company turned its attentions to the passenger side of the business. At
the outbreak of World War II the Blue Star Line had 41 ships scattered
around the world and during the following six years, twenty nine ships
were lost to enemy action. The Melbourne Star (Gross 11,076 tons) was launched in 1936 by Cammell Laird & Co of Birkenhead for the Blue Star Line and was designed to carry passengers and refrigerated cargo. During the World War II she distinguished herself on many occasion before being torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic on Friday 2nd April 1943. |
|||||||||||||||
* |
|||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||
Winston
Churchill said on 27 January 1942
'But for the Merchant Navy who
bring us the food and munitions of war,
Britain would be in a perilous state and indeed, without them, the
Army, Navy and Air Force could not operate'.
|
|||||||||||||||
* |
|||||||||||||||
Vice-Admiral
E. N. Syfret, C.B., Flag Officer Commanding 'Operation Pedestal' |
|||||||||||||||
Tribute has been paid to the personnel of H.M. Ships but both officers and men will desire to give first place to the conduct, courage and determination of the Masters, officers and men of the merchant ships. The steadfast manner in which these ships pressed on their way to Malta through all attacks, answering every manoeuvring order like a well trained fleet unit, was a most inspiring sight. Many of these fine men and their ships were lost but the memory of their conduct will remain an inspiration to all who were privileged to sail with them. | |||||||||||||||
* |
|||||||||||||||
On
Monday 28th August 1939, the Admiralty broadcast a message to all
British merchant ships ordering them to comply with any sailing or
routeing instructions that might be issued by the Naval Authorities.
Navigation lights must be dimmed and no other lights must be shown at
sea. Returning to Liverpool from Auckland New Zealand on the 12th December 1939 the Melbourne Star is armed and made ready for war. |
|||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||
This
rare
photograph taken in Cape Town of the Melbourne Star showing her
guns mounted on the poop deck. Courtesy John Marsh collection author 'Skeleton Coast' |
|||||||||||||||
* |
|||||||||||||||
About
the creator of this
website
I
have been researching the sinking of the Melbourne Star after learning
that my
uncle Leonard White, who died in 1995, was one of
the four surviving crew members when the Melbourne Star was torpedoed
and sunk in the Atlantic 480 miles south east of Bermuda. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have donated and
to those I have borrowed information and pictures from, without this
material I would have been unable
to create this website. Thank you.
|
|||||||||||||||
* | |||||||||||||||
Thank you for visiting the Melbourne
Star website. You are welcome to contact me at the address below with any comments. |
|||||||||||||||
Email me |
|||||||||||||||
melbournestar.one@ntlworld.com |
|||||||||||||||
Next Launch Day |
|||||||||||||||
______________________________________________________________________ |
|||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||
www.melbournestar.co.uk |
|||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||