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HMT Ausonia

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HMT Ausonia
HMT Ausonia 2.jpg
HMT Ausonia 1.jpg
History
Name HMT Ausonia
Owner Cairns, Young & Noble - Cairn Line
Builder Swan, Hunter & Wighan Richardson, Wallsend
Yard number 837
Launched 18 Aug 1909
General characteristics
Type Passenger ship
Tonnage 7,907 tons
Length 450 ft 6 in (137.31m)
Beam 54 ft 2 in (16.52m)
Depth (8.9m)
Propulsion twin screw
Speed 14 knots (25.93 km/h)
Capacity 37 x 1st class & 1,000 x 3rd class



Remarks

Originally named Tortona, she was owned by the Thompson Line and used on the Canadian route with accommodation for 37 first class and 1,000 third class passengers. Sold in 1911 to the Cunard Steam Ship Line for £120,001 and renamed Ausonia. Cunard used her on their Trans Atlantic route to Canada until WW1.


Used during WW1 as a troopship, primarily in the Mediterranean. On 30 May 1918, Ausonia, on a voyage from Montreal to Avonmouth with general cargo, was torpedoed and then sunk by gunfire from U-Boat U-55', 620 miles west of Fastnet Rock. 44 persons were lost. She had one previous scrape with a U Boat, on 11 Jun 1917 when she was torpedoed off southern Ireland, but was able to reach port.

Note

Individual soldiers records show the name of the ship as ANSONIA. However, there is no record of a ship by that name, and the AUSONIA was in the Mediterranean acting as a troop ship at the time. All records that mention SS or HMT Ansonia are therefore listed against the HMT Ausonia.

Soldiers carried

Mudros to Alexandria 6 - 10 Jan 1916

Alexandria to Marseilles 28 April - 5 May 1916

3rd Mining Company