Good
Copy 000130001
Condition notes
Good: Sun Faded edges to the pages, other wise tidy condition, binding is good.
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$8.00
The Voyage of Their Life: The Story of the SS Derna and Its Passengers
$8.00
Brief description
This non-fiction book by Diane Armstrong recounts the harrowing 1948 sea journey of over 500 European refugees aboard the SS Derna. Having survived World War II—many from concentration camps, labour camps, and displaced persons camps—the passengers set out from Marseille seeking a new life in Australia and New Zealand. What was meant to be a...
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- Published 2001
- Pre-owned
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About this book
Description
This non-fiction book by Diane Armstrong recounts the harrowing 1948 sea journey of over 500 European refugees aboard the SS Derna. Having survived World War II—many from concentration camps, labour camps, and displaced persons camps—the passengers set out from Marseille seeking a new life in Australia and New Zealand.
What was meant to be a five-week voyage became an eleven-week ordeal on an overcrowded, poorly maintained ship. Passengers endured appalling conditions, illness, shortages, and mounting tension, while rumours and accusations (including suspicions of communist affiliations) added to the distress. The scandal became so severe that it triggered an official inquiry when the ship finally arrived in Australia.
Armstrong, who was a child on the voyage, combines her own memories with interviews, documents, and survivor accounts to reconstruct the journey and its aftermath. The book not only details the suffering onboard but also follows the passengers as they rebuild their lives in a new country, highlighting resilience, hope, and the immigrant experience.
Overall, it’s a powerful historical narrative about survival, displacement, and starting over after immense loss.
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