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

Thirteen-year-old Gussie Grimmond was the eldest of five Grimmond children who were part of the CORB program. She was a mature and intelligent girl who “made a great impression on the [CORB] adults immediately” (12). The first chapters are largely told through Gussie’s eyes, illustrating the very real dangers that British children were facing as their parents agonized over the decision to send their children away. The family was “very close,” but the CORB program was a remarkable opportunity. After the Grimmonds’ home was destroyed in a bombing, it seemed clear that the children would be safer far away. The CORB program seemed to agree, immediately taking Gussie and her siblings off the waiting list when they learned their home had been destroyed.

Tragically, Gussie and all four of her siblings were killed when the Benares sank. Their parents had been so sure that they were doing what was best for their children by sending them away, but danger followed them, illustrating that death and tragedy often defy predictable patterns.

Mary Cornish was a 41-year-old music teacher and CORB escort who became a hero after the sinking of the Benares, when she helped maintain the morale and ensure the survival of the six children in her care.