Le chemin du Lancastria

The Lancastria story June 1940 saw the start of operations to repatriate Allied troops. On June 17, in Saint-Nazaire, the Lancastria anchored off the port to avoid being hit by air attacks while the soldiers were being transferred aboard. Intended for 3,000 passengers, the Allied soldiers and civilians crowded in, and the ship's capacity was exceeded? some say 5,000 people on board, others 9,000. Just as it was about to leave the entrance to the Loire estuary, the ship was attacked by a German bomber who dropped 4 bombs overhead. The explosions destroyed the engine room and immediately ripped open the fuel tanks and hull. The Lancastria sank in 15 minutes... The tragedy claimed at least 4,000 lives, with 2,477 men, women and even children surviving the sinking. The bodies of the victims washed up on the coast, particularly in Les Moutiers-en-Retz. They were buried in a pit in the cemetery. Their numbers increased with each passing tide. With no other immediate option, they were buried directly in the dunes. After the war, the bodies were moved to other cemeteries in the region, both north and south of the Loire. There are 49 graves in the "carré anglais" in the Moutiers-en-Retz cemetery. More than 70 years of silence surround this catastrophe, and the exact number of victims will never be known. Classified as a "Secret Defence" by the United Kingdom, this country only recognized the sinking in 2015. The little plus : In tribute to the victims of this tragedy, a commemorative plaque has been installed at the entrance to the Breton marsh, at the end of Chemin du Lancastria. a commemorative stele and historical panels can also be found at the Pointe Saint-Gildas parking lot in Préfailles. A ceremony is held every year to commemorate the greatest maritime disaster of this period in history. The Lancastria trail can be explored by following the Collet hiking trail. Read more here.