During World War II, an event occurred that appeared to depict the Germans as the protagonists while casting the Americans in a negative light. Although initiated by the Kriegsmarine, the US Army Air Forces reacted carelessly, leading to the deaths of hundreds, including women, children, and prisoners of war (POWs). This tragic historical episode is widely known as the Laconia Incident.
The RMS Laconia (1921) served in several different roles
The RMS Laconia (1921) was the second vessel of its name constructed by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Ltd. She followed the original RMS Laconia, which operated from 1911 until its sinking in 1917 during the First World War. The second Laconia embarked on her maiden voyage on May 25, 1922.
At the start of the Second World War, she was converted into an armed merchant cruiser, equipped by January 1940 with eight six-inch guns and two three-inch high-angle guns. By October of that year, the remaining passenger accommodations were removed to enhance her buoyancy, with the goal to keep her afloat longer if struck by a torpedo.
In the summer of 1941, Laconia was converted back into a troopship operating across the Atlantic. In September 1942, she was transporting over 2,700 passengers, including British personnel, women, nurses, civilians, Polish soldiers, and Italian POWs, on a voyage to the United Kingdom. It was on this journey that she met her end, in what became known as the Laconia Incident.
Ordering an attack on the RMS Laconia (1921)
At 8:10 PM on September 12, 1943, the German U-boat U-156, commanded by Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartenstein, fired a torpedo at the RMS Laconia, which immediately exploded into the former ocean liner’s holds, on the starboard side. Approximately 1,800 Italian POWs were aboard the ship, many of them located in the holds, which resulted in their immediate death following the explosion.
Capt. Rudolph Sharp, who was in control of Laconia, was in the midst of trying to gain control of the situation when a second torpedo was launched and struck the troopship. With no other alternative, he ordered Laconia be abandoned and that women, children and any injured personnel be loaded onto lifeboats.
Passengers rushed to safely board the lifeboats or secure life vests. Those who were able to tried to row away “because when a big ship like that goes down, it creates a lot of suction.”
Efforts to save survivors were made by both sides
When Hartenstein ordered the attack of the RMS Laconia, he hadn’t realized the majority of passengers were Italian POWs, nor did he know there were also civilians onboard. He only discovered this when his U-boat took on prisoners. After realizing this, he switched the operation to a rescue mission.
Hartenstein called for several other U-boats to join in the effort. They arrived bearing Red Cross flags, which signaled a rescue operation. One French and two British warships had also been sent to help, as well.
A British survivor, Cmdr. Geoffrey Greet, recalled what happened in an interview with The Guardian, saying, “Hartenstein spoke very good English. He assured me there were boats coming from Dakar. It became obvious he was a much better man than we had thought.”
He added that “no U-boat captain who would sit on the surface all that time and risk his own life is a bad man,” and remembered Hartenstein “was trying to help the women and children and the Italian prisoners […] He desperately tried to convince us he was doing something that was for our own good.”
American attack on the German rescue effort
Over several days, both Axis and Allied ships carried on with the rescue operation. However, the Allies assumed the mission was a trap. While a US Army Air Forces Consolidated B-24 Liberator was flying over the area, it observed the situation. Reportedly, Hartenstein tried to contact the pilot for help, but instead, the pilot bombed the German U-boats.
The bombing was conducted on the orders of Robert C. Richardson III, the senior officer stationed at nearby Ascension Island, who later claimed he was unaware of Hartenstein’s radio call. The attack caused minor damage to U-156, prompting the U-boat to submerge and abandon the rescue efforts, leaving many survivors behind. Additionally, the bombing resulted in the deaths of many Laconia survivors and the destruction of several lifeboats.
It is widely believed that the Americans wanted to prevent the details of the Laconia Incident from coming to light to avoid being cast as villains. The visibility of Red Cross flags from the air remains uncertain. Nevertheless, Hartenstein had taken all necessary measures to communicate to the Allies that his intention was no longer to engage in combat.
The Laconia Incident resulted in a large loss of life
Following the Laconia Incident, Adm. Karl Dönitz, the supreme commander of the Kriegsmarine‘s U-boat forces, issued the Laconia Order. This ordered German U-boat commanders to never rescue survivors following attacks, stating that “all efforts to save survivors of sunken ships […] must stop.”
The sinking of the RMS Laconia resulted in a major loss of life. It’s estimated more than 1,650 passengers drowned following the attack, with the majority of those killed being Italian POWs. Comparatively, 1,503 people died in the sinking the RMS Titanic. As the rescue boats from the Allies tried their best to save survivors, they had to trudge through dead bodies.
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“The sea was absolutely dark with dead bodies,” Greet explained. “We were looking for people who might be alive, but we had 64 in a boat designed for 32. We fixed up a rope some could hang on to, but they were not there in the morning. That was the longest night of my life. I remember seeing a young blonde girl with her hair floating around her on the sea and next to her was a woman with her hat on. Both were dead. It was macabre.”