Arandora Star Lest We Forget

The Arandora Star Memorial at Tatura Camp 3 was sculptured by Robert Felix Emil Braun. Although not a survivor of the Arandora Star tragedy, he like Leonhard Adam had spent 55 days on the Dunera with the German and Italian survivors.

Individual testimonials and diaries such as that of Christoph Wolkenstein's support the view that the German and Austrian refugees on the Dunera had heard the stories of survival and loss from the survivors.

On the 11th July 1940, Christoph (aged 17) wrote in his diary: The pitiful survivors of the famous Arandora Star (16,000 tons) which was sunk on July 2nd in the morning, the loss of 1200 lives (200 Italians all old, 200 survivors; 250 Germans, 200 survivors; 300 soldiers, 150 survivors, 400 wounded etc). We heard in due course all eyewitness accounts of the terrible disorder (here some points-no convoy, the Sutherland flying boat, Canadian destroyer, rolled like potatoes as ship whistled down, 7 hours in the water, former officers helped, nice Canadians, engine room, no struggling). Whenever we saw a survivor we talked to him about the disaster during the whole voyage. (Wolkenstein 1940-)

It is very poignant that Robert Felix Emil Braun created his memorial in dedication of the Germans and Italians who lost their lives during the sinking of the Arandora Star.

Arandora Star Memorial 1941 Watercolour by Leonhard Adam Tatura Camp 2

The Grozinger family were internees in Camp 3 Rushworth during WW2. Photograph taken 13 December 1941. Arandora Star memorial between garden and hut.

Arandora Star Memorial by Jason Huntley Tatura Museum

Commissioned sculpture to replace the original memorial

Unveiled 2017