Two Orkney sisters will be among the audience in New Jersey tonight to watch a new documentary about a Second World War disaster.
And Elizabeth Copp and Eileen Sclater have spoken of their feelings in advance of the film about the HMT Rohna disaster, which claimed the lives of more than 1,000 men on November 26 1943 – but not their father, John Sclater, who survived the tragedy.
The then 22-year-old Orcadian and his shipmates endured unimaginable privations after the destruction of the vessel, which led to between 1,130 and 1,150 young men being killed and more than 800 others struggling for their lives, even as they were strafed by German planes while they were in oil-soaked water.
Documentary released 80 years on from tragedy
Those who made it were subsequently threatened with court martial if they revealed any details about an incident in which 2,000 men, most of them American GIs, were packed on to a British vessel, which was built to carry just a tenth of that number.
The censorship went so far that the Rohna’s fate was covered up, even after the end of the conflict, and journalists in the 1960s were refused access to the files.
But now, the documentary, made by US film director Jack Ballo, with the cooperation of many of the families, is being premiered on the 80th anniversary of the catastrophe.
And the two Orcadians will be among those at the screening.
Elizabeth told the Press & Journal: “This is a very personal trip for me. Ever since finding my dad’s letters about his time at sea in the Second World War, I’ve wanted to find out more about what he did in the Merchant Navy and I’ve also wondered how he was able to put the horror of what he went through behind him.
“I’m writing a family memoir for my children and would like them to learn about the grandfather they never met, for he died in 1976.”
It will hopefully offer solace
Eileen said: “For me, the Rohna documentary will shine a spotlight on a part of Second World War history that was swept under the carpet for too long.
“It will hopefully help give some kind of solace and closure to those families who lost loved ones on the Rohna that night.
“Jack Ballo’s determination, dedication and research to bring this tragedy into the wider public domain is a stark reminder that we should never be afraid to keep asking questions and to always fight for a deeper truth.”
The list of known British casualties of the HMT Rohna attack can be viewed at:
rohnaclassified.com/rohna-roster
Read more about the quest to uncover the truth about the Rohna disaster here