Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship" by Deborah Heiligman

Torpedoed is a non-fiction story set in England during World War II regarding the sinking of the ship called The City of Benares by a German submarine. A narrator tells the entire story while describing the background and complement of passengers, including children, chaperones, various passengers, and Indian Lascars, who were servants on the ship. Also, the author details the events surrounding the German U-boat crew. As part of a national program called CORB, the children were to be resettled in Canada to escape aerial bombings by the Germans. There were 406 passengers on board, with 90 CORB children among that total. Sadly, 77 of the CORB children with 258 passengers perished for numerous reasons, from exposure to cold on the lifeboats to falling into the frigid ocean. Lessons learned from this tragedy helped increase the survival of voyages like these and cancel the CORB program altogether. Most importantly, it helps bring light to the loved ones lost and the heroes that died and survived. Deborah Heiligman's ability to tell a story is what makes this "a beautiful memorial for those who perished in this tragic event." (Wilkes, 2019)

Critical Analysis

Torpedoed is told in the third person, and the plot is uncomplicated. Children on the Benares have endearing character traits, and the adults are portrayed as courageous. The themes include war, death, heroism, perseverance, and courage. Readers may enjoy A Night to Remember by Walter Lord, a similar story that recounts the sinking of the Titanic and the bravery of those on board. The strength of the book is that it helps bring to light this tragedy and similar tragedies during this era. Its weakness is that the story cannot expand on the personal stories of the Indian Laskars aboard The City of Benares.

Audiobook Details

Reviewed using the unabridged audiobook version using the Axis 360 application with a length of 6 hours and 20 minutes. Marisa Calin, the narrator, is articulate and engages the listener with a commanding performance. The author's note explains that she learned of the story by researching the story behind a red life jacket, which led her to the history of The City of Benares.

References

Heiligman, D. (2019). Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War Ii Sinking of "The children's ship." (M. Calin, Narr.) [Audiobook] MacMillan Audio. https://bpls.axis360.baker-taylor.com/Title?itemId=0024414613&ISBN=9781250233905&isRecommendable=false&collectionType=null

Wilkes, S. (2019, December 1). Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The children's ship.". School Library Journal. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.slj.com/review/torpedoed-the-true-story-of-the-world-war-ii-sinking-of-the-childrens-ship