A WARTIME reunion organised by a Malvern veteran is set to be a great success tomorrow.

More than 300 people have signed up for the reunion of Strathallan survivors at the Greenwich Naval Museum in London.

For Stanley Hambrey, of Steamer Point, its success is "a dream come true."

Strathallan was a passenger liner which was converted to a troop ship in The Second World War.

On December 21, 1942, Strathallan was torpedoed by a U-boat some 80 miles off Oran in the Mediterranean.

Mr Hambrey, then a young Leading Aircraftsman in the RAF, was one of more than 5,000 on board the vessel.

Although an attempt was made to tow it to shore, Strathallan caught fire and sank. However, all but 16 on board were rescued.

Mr Hambery said: "The 300 who are coming to the reunion include quite a few survivors, and they are all over 80 like me. There are a lot of relatives coming as well."

The reunion's success is all the more pleasing since the original plan - to have a reunion last December for the 60th anniversary of the sinking - fell through.