The two letters (11 February) about the 2,500 Jewish refugees and prisoners of war shipped to Australia on the troopship HMT Dunera told only part of the fascinating story. One described the guards throwing overboard many of the internees’ personal possessions. Less widely known is that this saved their lives and the ship. This included the life of my great-uncle, Friedrich Schroeder.
Days out of Liverpool, the Dunera was torpedoed by U-boat U56. One torpedo failed to detonate and a second passed beneath the vessel. But seeing the discarded luggage later, the U-boat captain sent divers to retrieve some. Reading the many German letters and documents, the captain called off the waiting U-boat pack to give the vessel safe passage, not wanting to repeat the tragedy of the SS Arandora Star a week earlier. That ship had been sunk en route to Canada, with the loss of 800 people, mostly German and Italians. The U56 story came to light only in 1980 when the captain’s logbook was released.
The Dunera was the only ship sent to Australia. The outcry after the Arandora Star sinking led to an impassioned debate in parliament on 10 July 1940, and the policy was cancelled. But it was too late for the Dunera, she had sailed just hours earlier. The other events of that 57-day voyage, and the subsequent wartime experiences of those on board are extensively documented in the excellent Australian national archives
Christopher Barry
Blean, Kent
• My mother had a rather better experience than those outlined so far in Guardian letters. Arriving from Germany on a Kindertransport in August 1939, aged almost 16, she went to live with a very welcoming family; her education was supported by the girls’ grammar school she attended. But she was required to report to the local police station if she wanted to go out in the evening – until, before very long, they told her “Not to worry, lass”.
I discovered recently that her official status was “internee at liberty”, so I rather think that if she had ever put a foot wrong she might have been banged up somewhere. Luckily, she didn’t.
Judith Rhodes
Guiseley, West Yorkshire
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.
