S.S. ARANDORA STAR - GERMAN CASUALTIES

It is difficult to ascertain exactly how many individuals of German nationality were on board the SS Arandora Star when she left Liverpool on 30 July 1940. Also it is not clear, exactly how many were civilian, how many were prisoners of war and how many eventually became casualties. Three different sources of information have been considered:

1. Embarkation List, Arandora Star, a document from FO 371 25210 in the National Archives, lists alphabetically the names of all internees under two columns headed 'Survivors' and 'Lost'. At the bottom of every page is a handwritten total for each column. In additional columns, each individual is identified by a number as well as nationality and camp of origin. On the front page, a simple handwritten calculation under the heading 'Germans', indicates 175 lost, 303 saved, out of a total of 478. Closer study of the document reveals that 426 are identified as being of German nationality with 46 Austrian, 4 stateless, 1 British and 1 Polish.

The document also reveals that the casualties came from three internment camps, Swanwick, Huyton and Warners. These were just three of a number of camps which had been set up throughout the country to house those who had been either arrested as civilians or captured as prisoners of war. Swanwick House in Derbyshire had originally been used as a convalescent home for miners however it was here that the War office sent those it considered to be Nazis. Buildings in the grounds of the main house held some 300 internees. The camp at Huyton just outside Liverpool was a partly constructed estate of council houses when it was taken over. The whole estate was surrounded by an eight foot fence and the men were accommodated 12 at a time in the partly completed, unfurnished houses. The third camp known as Warners, was a former holiday camp at Seaton just outside Paignton in Devon . Out of the 478 German internees said to have been aboard the SS Arandora Star 241 men had previously been in Swanwick, 185 in Warners and a further 52 in Huyton. Whilst this document was drawn up by the War office soon after the sinking, it soon became clear, after interviews with survivors, that it was inaccurate. An adaptation of this list of casualties will be included in a separate section.

2. Arandora Star, Particulars of Missing Persons [German and Austrian List 1.] a document produced by The Red Cross and dated 20 Jan 1941 lists a total of 146 casualties. Of these 18, were identified as German Merchant Navy crew and were therefore classified as prisoners of war - the rest being civilian internees. In addition to christian name and surname, the list also provides details of nationality, date and place of birth, last place of abode, rank, profession or occupation and camp number. This list will also be included in a separate section.

3. The Blue Star website www.bluestarline.org/arandora.html gives the following figures for German casualties - 479 civilian internees and 86 POWs giving a total of 565 of whom 243 were identified as being casualties. Other authors have suggested that there were 452 internees and POWs with the total number of casualties being 195.

S.S. Arandora Star

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

It appears that very few of the German casualties were recovered and even fewer were identified. Undoubtedly a number of bodies were repatriated after the war but exactly how many and where from, does not seem to have been recorded. Those that were recovered, were buried in local cemeteries and later transferred to either of the German Military Cemeteries at Glencree in the Irish Republic or Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.

A local Irish newspaper, The Western People, for Saturday August 17 1940 described under a headline - The Sea Gives up it's Dead - the recovery of three bodies, one of whom was one of the German casualties.

'Only one of the bodies was identified - believed to be that of a man named Franz Kirste with an address at Fawley Road . London .

Sergt. O'Hagan, Lissadell, gave evidence that this body which was found on the shore at Cloonagh, was that of a man of 6ft 1in, and 15 st. weight. The body was dressed in a cotton singlet, blue striped cotton pyjama jacket, blue slip-over, brown suit, light greenish coloured socks, heavy brown shoes. There was part of a life-belt strap still adhering to the body. In the right inner pocket of the coat he found a bundle of papers rolled in coarse paper. One part of the papers was written in German and the other in English. Included in them was a British ration book in the name of Franz Kirste, 14 Fawley Road , London N.W.6. From the documents found he believed the deceased was aged about 32 years.'

According the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge [German War Graves Commission] records, Frantisek Kirste was a civilian internee, born in Berlin on 22 June 1907. His body was recovered on 11 August 1940 and he was buried in the churchyard at Carrigans near Lissadell. On 31 October 1960 his body was removed and re-interred in the German Military Cemetery at Glencree, grave 55, where it has remained until today alongside four other named casualties and 46 others of his fellow countrymen who are unknown.

Photo 1. Frantz Kirste headstone [Alan Davis]

S.S. Arandora Star

Another local Irish newspaper, The Donegal Democrat, also recorded the recovery of one of the German casualties on Saturday August 17 1940 under a headline - Documents Reveal German Airman's Identity.

'The body of a German airman was found by Messrs. James and Patrick Bruce on Innishbarnog Island, Rosbeg, Co. Donegal, on Sunday evening.

Documents on the body revealed that it was that of Werner Kraine, born in Berlin in 1913.

The body was clad in blue uniform, with military boots and in the pockets were two small wrenches, a pocket knife, six German coins and a British farthing.

The contents of the documents were interpreted by Mr Frick, Rosbeg Hotel.

Dr. O'Sullivan, coroner for South West Donegal held an inquest at Rosbeg on Monday.

After hearing medical evidence from Dr. C. H. Falvey, Ardara, the jury found that death was due to asphyxia from drowning and that there was no evidence to show how he entered the water.

There was a military funeral to Inneskeel Protestant graveyard, Narin on Monday evening. About fifty members of the Clogher Local Security Force marched with cortege, and a volley was discharged over the grave.

Rev. E. Donaldson, rector, Ardara, conducted the service'.

The Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge [German War Graves Commission] records reveal that Werner Kraine's body was recovered on 12 August 1940 and that he was re-interred in the German Military Cemetery at Glencree, grave 53, on 23 June 1959. The records indicate that he was aboard the SS Arandora Star however they do not give any details regarding the circumstances. How he came to be wearing a German Air-force uniform is unclear - perhaps these were clothes borrowed during his time in the camp at Warners or even items quickly donned in the panic to get out on deck once the vessel had been struck.

Photo 2. Werner Kraine headstone [Alan Davis]

S.S. Arandora Star

The German Military Cemetery at Glencree

Photo 3. Glencree - The Hall of Honour [Alan Davis]

The cemetery is located in a disused quarry 16km south of Dublin, Co. Wicklow in the Irish Republic and contains 134 graves, 6 from WW1 and 128 from WW2. After an agreement reached between the two governments in 1959, the cemetery was dedicated on 9 July 1961 after remains had been re-interred from over 100 locations throughout the republic.

A wrought iron gate leads into the Hall of Honour, the walls and ceiling of which are decorated in mosaic designed by the painter Beck of Munich. Overlooked by a Celtic High Cross, amid the heathers, the simple granite crosses bear the names of those who died. Close to the Glencree River , which flows down one side of the cemetery, is a simple stone engraved in Gaelic, German and English with a beautiful poem written by Stan O' Brien.

Photo 4. Glencree - The Celtic Cross [Alan Davis]

S.S. Arandora Star

Photo 5. Glencree - The Mosaic by Beck of Munich [Alan Davis]

Photo 6. Glencree - The Engraved Stone [Alan Davis] Translation below:

It was for me to die under an Irish sky there finding berth in good Irish earth.

What I dreamed and planned bound me to my Fatherland but war sent me

to sleep in Glencree.

Passion and pain were my loss - my gain

Pray as you pass To make good my loss.

S.S. Arandora Star

In addition to the graves of Franz Kirste and Werner Kraine there are said to be 46 Unbekannter Kriegstoter, [unknown war dead] as well as three other known casualties from the SS Arandora Star . The Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge [German War Graves Commission] records give the following details.

Heinz Dellit was born in Jena on 28 July 1913. At the time of his arrest and internment, he was a civilian living at 15, Primrose Hill Road London N.W.3. His body was found on 20 August 1940 and he was buried in the churchyard at Carrigans, near Lisadell, Co. Donegal. On 31 October 1960 he was re-interred at Glencree, grave 54.

Hans Denes was aged 40 and his body was found on 15 August 1940 by Arranmore Island Co. Donegal. He was buried in the nearby Catholic Cemetery [Seaman's Plot] and re-interred at Glencree, grave 57.

Hans Moller was born on 21 August 1912 in Bremen . At the time of his arrest and internment he was a civilian living at 83 Iffley Road , Hammersmith, London W.6. His body was found on 29 July 1940 at Maghery, Dungloe and he was buried in Termon Catholic Cemetery before being re-interred at Glencree, grave 56, on 2 December 1960.

The German Military Cemetery at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire

The cemetery was established under the terms of an agreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany in October 1959. The Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge [German War Graves Commission] undertook the task of designing, constructing and maintaining a cemetery to which the bodies of German war dead were transferred from other cemeteries. Many died in prisoner of war camps, however others were airmen killed whilst on active service or sailors who died at sea and whose bodies were washed ashore. Amongst these lie the bodies of 4 unknown German casualties from the SS Arandora Star who had been transferred from Greenock Cemetery , Renfrewshire , Scotland in 1962. These can be found in block 1, row 1 grave 6 and 7 and also block 3, row 11, grave 322 and 323.

PRISONER OF WAR CASUALTIES

The Red Cross List gives details of 18 casualties who are identified as having served in the German Merchant Navy and are therefore classified as prisoners of War.

Six of those casualties include five crew members plus Captain Otto Jacob Heinrich Burfeind of the German passenger and cargo ship, the SS Adolf Woermann, captured on 22 November 1939.

S.S. Arandora Star

The SS Adolf Woermann

Photo 7. Captain Burfeind [Source unknown]

Photo 8. SS Adolf Woermann [Source unknown]

Just before the outbreak of war, Captain Burfeind arrived in Cape Town , South Africa having sailed from his home port of Hamburg in Germany . Thinking that South Africa may soon enter the war on the British side, he left for the port of Lobito in Portuguese Angola where he joined five other German vessels. Here he tried unsuccessfully to acquire additional fuel and food, so eventually he set out for South America using his cargo of copra and peanuts, as well as wooden panelling from the ship's lounges, to feed the furnaces and keep the boilers going. Just five days into their journey, the ship was spotted and the following day was intercepted by the British light cruiser HMS Neptune . Acting on orders that his vessel must not be allowed to fall into enemy hands, Captain Burfeind ordered his crew to evacuate all the passengers and scuttle the ship. Just three days later HMS Neptune arrived in Freetown with 162 prisoners of war who were eventually shipped to England where they were interned in the camp at Seaton in Devon . It is believed that most of the internees held at Seaton, including Captain Burfeind and his crew, were eventually taken on the SS Arandora Star in 1940.

S.S. Arandora Star

The casualties from the SS Adolf Woermann were:

Ship's Cook, Franz Breuer, born 17 December 1885 in Neuss.

Captain, Otto Jacob Heinrich Burfeind , born 9 January 1885, Altona-Blankensee.

Steward, Hugo Erdmann , born 20 September 1903 in Hamburg.

Engine Cleaner, Adolf Feilitz , born 15 October 1909 in Lindow.

Quartermaster, Walter Heinsohn , born 25 October 1899 in Hamburg.

Musician, Harald von Waldstaedt , born 18 February 1899 in Heidelberg.

Postscript

A number of survivors later reported that several of the SS Arandora Star's lifeboats were lowered by officers and crew of the SS Adolf Woermann and that in the final moments before she sank, Captain Burfeind joined Captain Edgar Moulton on the bridge of the SS Arandora Star where they remained until the vessel disappeared.

S.S. Arandora Star