British Navy Rescues Hell Ship Prisoners

Series

Series Name
Pathe Gazette

Issue

Issue No.
40/16
Date Released
22 Feb 1940
Stories in this Issue:
  1. 1Anzacs in Egypt
  2. 2At Sea with the French
  3. 3Ice Breaking in Holland
  4. 4War Drama off Cape Coast
  5. 5British Navy Rescues Hell Ship Prisoners

Story

Story No. within this Issue
5 / 5
Summary
HMS Cossack brings back over three hundred British seamen rescued from the German ship "Altmark". The sailors were the crews of six merchant ships sunk by the Graf Spee and were kept prisoner in the Altmark. After the RAF discovered the whereabouts of the Altmark, British warships pursued her until she took refuge in a Norwegian fjord. When night had fallen the Admiralty sent a message to HMS Cossack to "Go in and get our men". The crew boarded the Altmark under fire from the Nazis, and rescued the prisoners, starved and ill treated. Interview takes place with one of the prisoners Mr John Quigley of the SS Tairca.
Keywords
Prisoners of war; Navy; Military
Locations
United Kingdom
Length of story (in feet)
182
Story extras:
Film clip
Production Documents

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This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name
British Pathe Ltd
Email
info@britishpathe.com
Web
https://www.britishpathe.com/
Phone
0207 665 8340
Address
3.29 Canterbury Court
1-3 Brixton Road
London
SW9 6DE
Notes
Pathe now also handles the Reuters Historical Collection, which includes the British Paramount, Empire British, Gaumont Graphic and Gaumont British newsreels.
Series held
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