Military Monday: CORB and the Rangitane

Today is the 83rd anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Rangitane by German raiders in the Pacific. It was the largest Allied merchant ship to be sunk by a German surface vessel during the Second World War. My father, Charles Reid, was one of the crew, an engineering officer.

https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/liner-sunk-german-raiders

Sixteen of the 312 Rangitane passengers died, including volunteers who had escorted 477 Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB) evacuees to Australia on the MV Batory.

On its last voyage from the UK in September 1940, the Rangitane had left with 113 British children being evacuated to New Zealand by CORB. It was recalled back to Liverpool to debark them following the sinking of the SS City of Benares with the loss of 77 CORB children.

 

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