A Tragic Night on the Waters

“HMHS Llandovery Castle” Nova Scotia Archives.

The devastating sinking of the Llandovery castle hospital ship and the killings of those who survived the sinking is a staple in the story of the nursing sisters during this war. On the night of the sinking, the boat was properly lit up by Red Cross light, accompanied with markings meant to identify the ship as a hospital ship which would have offered the hospital ship protection from enemy attack, however that was not the case. Once the ship was approximately 185 kilometres off the Irish coast it was hit by a torpedo launched by a German U-boat, U-boat U86. Following the sinking of the ship, survivors in lifeboats were interrogated by German forces and were killed. In total the lives of 243 people on board had died, among those who had lost their lives were 14 nursing sisters. The devastating and wrongful sinking of the Llandovery Castle Hospital Ship is remembered as the deadliest naval incident of the First World War. The wrongful killings of the nursing sisters was used as consent to kill surrendering Germans to avenge the lost lives of the 14 nursing sisters on the Llandovery Caste Hospital Ship. The intense feelings of anger felt by the soldiers because of the loss of the nursing sisters demonstrates how deeply these sisters were valued by other members of the Canadian military during the war.

Sources:

“The Ship.” Llandovery Castle, www.llandoverycastle.ca/the-ship.

“‘Angels of Mercy’: Canada’s Nursing Sisters in World War I and II.” “Angels of Mercy”: Canada’s Nursing Sisters in World War I and II | Digital Collections @ Mac, McMaster University , digitalcollections.mcmaster.ca/pw20c/case-study/angels-mercy-canadas-nursing-sisters-world-war-i-and-ii. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.