Big stories about big squids: The story of the Britannia and the birth of a wartime urban legend. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dyer, Jonathan
• Is Part Of: War in history. Volume 28:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 562
• Page End: 582
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: R.E.G. Cox -- Britannia -- giant squid -- urban legend -- World War II -- maritime history; War -- History -- Periodicals; Military history -- Book reviews -- Periodicals; 355.0209
• DOI: 10.1177/0968344519877664
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0968-3445

Abstract

A popular urban legend from World War II involves the survivors of a sunken British troopship being attacked by a giant squid. The story of R.E.G. Cox and the giant squid he claimed that attacked him can be found in a wide variety of written and online sources. This article explores the origins of this urban legend, looks at its spread, and debunks it through both historiographical research and a brief scientific examination of relevant marine life.