Latest news with #RMSLancastria
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
On this day: A love story for the ages, Running Up That Hill, the last Apartheid laws abolished and slaughter at Boipatong
A sad end for the emperor who built the white-marble Taj Mahal for his wife. On this day: June 17 1631 Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, goes on to spend more than 20 years building her tomb – a symbol of great love – the Taj Mahal. 1837 Chemist and inventor Charles Goodyear obtains his first rubber patent. 1855 A heavy French/British bombardment of Sevastopol, in Crimea, kills more than 2 000. 1877 The Nez Perce Indians defeat the US Cavalry at White Bird Canyon in Idaho. 1885 The Statue of Liberty – gift from the people of France – arrives in New York City. 1928 Aviator Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland to become the first woman to cross the Atlantic (as a passenger). 1938 Japan finally declares war on China, a year after having invaded the country. 1939 The last public guillotining – that of a murderer – takes place in France. 1940 The liner RMS Lancastria is sunk by the Luftwaffe near Saint-Nazaire, France. 1954 Rocky 'Raging Bull' Marciano beats heavyweight boxing champion Ezzard Charles over 15 rounds. Marciano is the only person to hold the heavyweight title undefeated, with a boxing record of 49 fights, 49 wins and 43 KOs. He dies at 45 in a 1969 plane crash. 1958 Things Fall Apart by Nigerian Chinua Achebe, the most widely read book in African literature, is published. 1982 President Galtieri resigns after leading Argentina to defeat in the Falkland Islands. 1991 The last apartheid laws are abolished. 1992 The slaughter by Inkatha followers at Boipatong leaves 42 people dead. 2019 Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi dies after collapsing in a court. 2021 China launches its Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, with three astronauts arriving at its space station, Tiangong, 6.5 hours later. 2022 Running Up That Hill single by Kate Bush goes to #1 on the UK chart; originally released in 1985, the song was featured in sci-fi TV show Stranger Things, its record 44-year climb to the top also makes Bush, 63) the oldest female artist to score a No 1. 2024 The Philippines accuses the Chinese coastguard of 'a brazen act of aggression' after a confrontation in the contested Spratly Islands escalating the tension in the area. DAILY NEWS
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Lancastria: Forgotten WWII tragedy remembered in new music
The worst British maritime disaster - the sinking of the RMS Lancastria in June 1940 - is one of the lesser-known of our national remains one of the largest losses of life from a single news, that up to 7,000 people died, was suppressed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who was concerned about the morale of Britain so soon after as the 85th anniversary approaches, a new piece of music - Lancastria - has been written to remember and commemorate those who died. The former liner was bombed repeatedly as it bore British troops and civilians leaving wartime France for the relative safety of to 7,000 people died in the waters off the coast of Brittany - some went down with the ship, others perished from hypothermia or drowned in the oily water, clouded black from the leakage of more were shot by the German planes that dropped the bombs or broke their necks on their lifejackets jumping into the memoirs revealed he was keen not to demolish the morale of the public - and he planned to share the news a few days events in France "crowded upon us so black and so quickly" he said, that he "forgot to lift the ban". St Katharine Cree church in the City of London is visible from Cunard Place, the former home of the offices of shipping line of the same name, which owned the Lancastria. Every year the tragedy is quietly marked amongst the pews, beneath the stained glass window dedicated to the based at the church, is Lloyd's choir - and music director Jacques Cohen has composed a piece to be performed at the annual service."My initial thought was to write a purely orchestral piece. However the obvious thing was to write an anthem which the choir could sing" he said. The choral and orchestral composition Mr Cohen has created uses the poem Crossing The Bar by Alfred Tennyson - a metaphorical meditation on death. It compares dying to gently crossing the sandbar between coast and the wider Cohen wanted to incorporate some of the melody of the piece Flowers of the Forest, a Scottish folk tune and work of war of the Forest is already played on the bagpipes at the end of the annual Lancastria service - it was also played at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth finished composition starts with the orchestra before it accompanies the choir singing Tennyson's words, with hints at the Flowers of the Forest tune throughout. The choir rehearses in the chancel of St Katharine Cree, in the light of a beautiful blue and multicoloured stained glass window depicting the was commissioned in the 1960s, and cost around £750 at the time (about £15,000 today).Chorister Debbie Sweet explained: "The top half of the window shows the parable of Christ walking on the water and calming the storm, which obviously is very fitting."Ms Sweet, a member of the choir since 1985, added: "About two thirds of the way down there is the image of the Lancastria's upturned hull, with smoke coming from it and also a rescue boat rowing away with soldiers in it."The bottom third of the window was only put in in 2014, and that has the plaque indicating the date." Choir trustee Jo Staphnill admitted it was "surprising" so few people know about what happened to thousands of troops and civilians in this disaster."I can understand how, perhaps for operational reasons, it was deemed necessary at the time for reports not to happen right away, but it seems so tragic, not only that this happened, but also that is has been largely forgotten." For many years survivors and their families came from all over the UK to the church each June, but as time has gone on, fewer people Staphnill believes this new composition will pay tribute to them and ensure a lasting legacy."It's an honour to have something written in memory of this tragedy, and hopefully play a part in bringing some comfort to the families of the survivors and people who lost their lives, by sharing some really wonderful music." The World Premiere of Lancastria by Jacques Cohen will be performed at St Giles' Cripplegate church on Thursday 27 March at 19:00 GMT as part of Lloyd's Choir spring will be repeated at St Katharine Cree church in June, where the lives of those lost eight decades ago will be remembered and mourned.
