On June 17th 1940 the Cunard White Star Liner Lancastria , carrying British troops and civilian refugees was hit off St Nazaire by a salve of bombs , and sunk within half an hour . Today some of the survivors met in Whitehall and laid a wreath on the Cenotaph . Among them was slim fair haired Jacqueline Tillyer now aged 11 , who was then a babe in arms and was in the water held by her father , Mr C P Tillyer , while her mother swum alongside . They were picked up after four hours . Seen here LtoR Major Petit , Jacqueline Tillyer holding wreath and Major F Hart , all survivors from the Lancastria . 17 June 1949