On the 81st anniversary of the sinking of the HMT Rohna, please join us at the Greenwich Historical Society for a screening of the documentary film Rohna Classified.
This illuminative documentary sheds a spotlight on the captivating true story of the HMT Rohna, a British transport ship carrying 2,000 U.S. soldiers journeying to China to aid in their war efforts against Japan in WWII. The HMT Rohna was destroyed en route by a German assault from one of the first radio-guided missiles in war history. This culminated in the loss of 1,015 U.S. soldiers who were aboard the ship. Among the lives lost were 16 men from Connecticut, including Greenwich native John Campbell Moore. This remains the most significant loss of soldiers at sea in U.S. naval history. The documentary examines why the casualties were so high in this catastrophic event, and further explores the circumstances that concealed it from common knowledge.
Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with the documentary’s filmmakers and descendants of those aboard the HMT Rohna. Producers Jack Ballo and Michael Walsh will share their inspiration to create a documentary about the Rohna and what future they envision for the film. The niece of a survivor, Catherine Ladnier, will discuss her process of researching John Campbell Moore. Finally, the descendent of a survivor featured in the film, Barbara Ballo, will tell the story about how she learned about the Rohna’s sinking and the connection of this event to her family. This Q&A will provide an in-depth and personal perspective on this event that has largely been obscured from U.S. history, and aims to put the HMT Rohna back into the historical narrative for its veterans.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration has reached capacity, contact Olivia Luntz at oluntz@greenwichhistory.org with questions.
Find more information on the documentary and view the trailer here.
