San Demetrio London - A TRUE STORY

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by spidge, Jun 3, 2015.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    The true story of the Merchant Tanker "San Demetrio" which tells the story of the bravery of a crew whose tanker was shelled and set alight by the

    The best copy I have seen yet - Very clear on full screen. Hope you enjoy it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MQvScWLQ6I


    San Demetrio London is a 1943 WW2 docu-Drama based on the true story of the 1940 rescue of the tanker MV San Demetrio by parts of her own crew after she had been set afire by the German Heavy Cruiser, Admiral Scheer and then had been abandoned, during the Battle of the Atlantic. The same engagement where Jervis Bay was sunk.
     
    CL1 and Mr Jinks like this.
  2. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Remember this film well.An excellent account of the recovery of a tanker from the from being a total loss after being left for "dead"

    Interesting to note how the survivors recovered the cooking facilities to provide hot food and then got the tanker under way,limping although it was.

    Good film for the merchant navy morale when the balance of the Battle of the Atlantic was still in favour of the Kreigsmarine.

    Thanks Geoff for reminding us of the extraordinary efforts of the MN to keep Great Britain in the war.
     
  3. Drayton

    Drayton Senior Member

    I have no recollection of the film, but I well remember the slim paperback account, The Saga of San Demetrio.
     
  4. Aeronut

    Aeronut Junior Member

    The model of the ship used in making the film is on display in the IWM Lambeth.
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    zoomable pic of that model here
    http://zoom.iwm.org.uk/view/450476&cat=vehicles,-aircraft-and-ships&oid=object-30019576

    http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30116524

    M V San Demetrio 12132 tons Owned by Eagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd This is a model of the vessel as it arrived in the Clyde after being attacked during the "Jervis Bay" Atlantic convoy on 5 November 1940 and was set on fire by a German surface raider, the Admiral Scheer. The ship, laden with gasoline, was abandoned, but was subsequently reboarded by 16 of her crew, who succeeded in subduing the fires, restarting the main engines and navigating the the vessel 1000 miles to port without compasses or charts and only the remains of the secondary steering gear in action. Cargo was discharged by the vessel's own steam and equipment, with comparatively small loss of cargo. The ship made several further voyages, but was torpedoed and sunk on 17 March 1942.
    Physical description

    model This model was made by Ealing Studios, Ltd, and used in the studio water tank during the making of the film "San Demetrio-London".









    more pics from IWM

    [​IMG]
    M V San Demetrio. © IWM (MOD 380)IWM Non Commercial Licence


    [​IMG]
    M V San Demetrio. © IWM (MOD 380)IWM Non Commercial Licence

    M V San Demetrio 12132 tons Owned by Eagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd This is a model of the vessel before being attacked during the "Jervis Bay" Atlantic convoy on 5 November 1940 and being set on fire by a German surface raider, the Admiral Scheer. The ship, laden with gasoline, was abandoned, but was subsequently reboarded by 16 of her crew, who succeeded in subduing the fires, restarting the main engines and navigating the the vessel 1000 miles to port without compasses or charts and only the remains of the secondary steering gear in action. Cargo was discharged by the vessel's own steam and equipment, with comparatively small loss of cargo. The ship made several further voyages, but was torpedoed and sunk on 17 March 1942.





    [​IMG]
    ship's wheel, Tanker MV San Demetrio. © IWM (EPH 9752)IWM Non Commercial Licence

    Part of the damaged ship's wheel of the tanker MV San Demetrio. The tanker was with Convoy HX 84 when it was attacked by the Admiral Scheer on 5 November 1940, the San Demetrio was set on fire and abandoned but later reboarded by sixteen of her crew. They subdued the fires and brought her 1,000 miles back to the Clyde. After several more voyages she was torpedoed and sunk in March 1942.



    [​IMG]

    http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205022050
    Shipping losses: MT SAN DEMETRIO arriving in the Clyde after being torpedoed by U 404 on 17 March 1942. At the time of her being torpedoed she had already been shelled by the German pocket battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER.


    [​IMG]
    http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/38680



    [​IMG]
    San Demetrio Gets Home. © IWM (Art.IWM PST 16448)IWM Non Commercial Licence

    whole: the image is positioned in the upper half. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in red, in black and in blue. The lower two-thirds is set against a light green background. image: a depiction of a British oil tanker sailing at sea, with the slogan 'Help SOS' painted on its bridge and hull. text: HELP SOS SOS HELP SAN DEMETRIO REPRODUCED BY KIND PERMISSION OF 'The NAVY' Chas PEARS SAN DEMETRIO GETS HOME. ...The Oil Tanker 'San Demetrio,' a vessel of the 'Jervis Bay' convoy was set on fire by the German raider. She had to be abandoned but eventually 16 of her crew reboarded her, extinguished the fires and brought her to port. 'Help S.O.S.' was painted on bridge and hull as all signalling apparatus had gone. THEY SERVE FOR YOU YOU SAVE FOR THEM POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK P.B. 43
     
  6. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    As I remember the film...very authentic down to the engineering,the activities were re-enacted which had been done in recovering the tanker,crewing it and getting her under way....stood the test of being subject to a challenge of authenticity

    I wonder if they are still some veterans around from that epic effort?
     

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