HMT Aragon
From Our Contribution
History | |
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Name | HMT Aragon |
Builder | Harland and Wolf Belfast. |
Launched | 1905 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Mails ship / passengers |
Tonnage | 9,588 tons |
Propulsion | twin screw |
Speed | 16 knots (29.63 km/h) |
Contents
Remarks
Built as a transatlantic mail ship for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. During WW1 it acted as a fast troop ship, primarily in the Mediterranean, including participation in the British landing at Cape Helles during the Gallipoli campaign.
Her duties also included evacuating nearly 1,500 wounded personnel to Alexandria and Malta.
on 30 Dec 1917 just outside Alexandria Harbour, the Aragon was torpedoed by U Boat UC-34, which also torpedoed the ship which had picked up most of her survivors. In all 610 of the 2,700 troops aboard her were lost.