Summary
Author and historian Richard M. Jones joins me to discuss the story of the British cargo ship Lulworth Hill. Just after midnight on 19 March 1943, the Lulworth Hill was torpedoed by the Italian U-Boat Leonardo da Vinci. The ship split in two and sank within just 90 seconds. Only 14 out of 47 made it to a small, cramped liferaft. They were stranded in a tiny lifeboat, with very little fresh water and food. The unbearable heat, dehydration, starvation took their toll on the men, all while sharks continually circled them. After 50 days adrift, only Colin Armitage and Kenneth Cooke were alive when they were rescued. This is the story of their unbelievable suffering and survival.
Additional Reading
Colin Armitage passed away in 1950, but Kenneth Cooke lived on, and wrote a book about his experiences called What Cares the Sea? Much of information in this episode comes from this book.
Richard M. Jones has been researching the Lulworth Hill, and was inspired to do something to memorialize the two survivors. He successfully organized an effort to have blue plaques placed in Hull for Colin Armitage, and in Bridlington for Kenneth Cooke. Through his work, he has been able to get plaques installed in many locations around Britain, from various tragedies.
You can follow Richard on Facebook @shipwreck.data.
Richard has written a number of books, including 50 Greatest Shipwrecks, and Around the World in Shipwreck Adventures. You can find all of Richard’s books on Amazon.com.
Photos
Sources
- Cooke, Kenneth. What Cares The Sea?. 1960. Pickle Partners Publishing, 2015.
- https://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=ships-hit-britain-238-*&sub=j-k-l&tag=16)lulworth-hill-(it-sub-da-vinci)-
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Lulworth_Hill
- https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/heartbreak-still-painful-brave-hero-honoured-east-yorkshire-1771086
- https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?37421
- https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10819021
- https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205153218
- https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38336360
- https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,940630,00.html
- https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/wartime-hero-colin-armitage-who-219712
- https://www.pressreader.com/uk/yorkshire-post/20170819/281775629272736