To most people when thinking of major marine disasters the RMS Titanic always comes to mind. While watching a WWII documentary yesterday I learnt of a loss of life at sea that multiplies the Titanic tradegy 3 times over!
In late January 1945 this sinking has become a disaster that seems now to be little remembered. The biggest ever single loss of life at sea.
http://www.wilhelmgustloff.com/sinking.htm
Colin.
Incredible, and more incredible that I was unfamiliar with this story. Lee woke up a few minutes ago, and I said, "I bet you know about this." And of course he did.
So, so sad. Thanks for making me aware of this.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Yes it was unknown to me Marion too. Pleased to see you put it on FB as well.
It is a tragic story but what surprises me that you hadn't heard of it!! Perhaps its from being a U-boot/submarine freak. I had heard of it from U-boot.net or something - I don't quite remember. I do a lot of Wikipedia surfing so maybe it was there (for example, "List by death toll of ships sunk by submarines").
Maj Todd O. USMC, Retired
Grandson of LTC John O'Brien