Llandovery Castle sunk June 27 1918 2018 2019 Toronto Ontario Canada operetta

[John Gilinsky]

On June 27, 1918 the British military hospital ship Llandovery Castle (built 1914) and owned and operated by the Union Castle Line Steamship Company prior to WW1 was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean by German submarine U-86.  Amongst the 234 dead all 14 nurses aboard who were drawn from across Canada all died.  Amongst the memorials erected was one metal plaque in a mid-town Toronto Presbyterian Church.  One of the parishioners who viewed the plaque was stimulated by to find out more.  A music professor and musician she decided to compose a short opera and enlisted a local opera group called The Bicycle Opera Work Project to implement her concept.  I remember being invited to the inaugural trial run of the resulting operetta but sadly could not attend.  Very recently I discovered that excerpts from this summer 2018 production were put up on Youtube.  For the benefit of all please find below these Youtube short films, viz.:

 

Highlights from the Llandovery Castle 8 minutes and 15 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGVbdt4AGBg

 

Excerpt from the Llandovery Castle 5 minutes 37 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ0ZQGE49iQ

 

John Gilinsky

Toronto, Ontario, Canada