Wednesday 24 February 2010

Goans on SS Britannia, March 1941


Asian seafarers' stories are seldom told in stories of shipping disasters, and almost never from their point of view. Such was the racism in recording news at that time that these men were often nameless and always faceless.

So it's good to find someone redressing that imbalance. In this case the focus is on the 39-plus Asian crew of Anchor Lines' SS Britannia, which was torpedoed on March 25 1941 off Dakar. Some escapees were 23 days reaching Brazil in a lifeboat.

Journalist Melvyn Misquita has set up a website, partly because his grand-uncle Constant Misquita (see picture) died on that ship. http://www.misquita.in/britannia/intro/html.

For me it works particularly well because Melvyn has retrieved so many photos of the men. He welcomes more information to augment this hidden history. Goan comments on his site can be found at http:www.mail-archive.com/goanet@goanet.org/msg02070.html.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Respected SIR/MADAM, I AM THE GRANDSON OF ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WHO DIED ABOARD THE SHIP SSBRITANNIA. HIS NAME IS CHIMANLAL SOMCHAND PATEL-INFACT MY FATHER (HIS SON) HAD NOT EVEN HIM. WITH YOUR KIND HELP IF WE CAN HAVE ANY DETAILS OF THE PASSENGER OR EVEN ANY SOURCE TO FIND THESE DETAILS, I WOULD BE GREATLY OBLIGED. THANKS AND REGARDS.🙏🙏