Frank Laskier

Who was Frank Laskier?

Frank Laskier was a British seaman who came to public attention during World War II.

In late 1940, Laskier was a gunner in the Merchant Navy when his ship was attacked and sunk by a German raider off the coast of West Africa. Rescued from a raft and returned to England, he was interviewed by BBC radio. His famous "My Name is Frank" broadcasts during the Battle of the Atlantic affected popular opinion about the war and helped Merchant Navy recruitment efforts in America and Britain.

"Seaman Frank" became a figurehead of the Merchant Navy in newsreels, speaking tours and autobiographical books. By war's end, sentiment had moved on and he was largely forgotten. At age 37, he died in a car accident in New York City. Today, the little that is remembered about Laskier is mixed; one observer described him as just an icon of wartime propaganda, but another critic considers Laskier's autobiographical writing to be "powerful" and the "genuine article" about a seaman's life.