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HMT Minneapolis

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HMT Minneapolis
HMT Minneapolis.jpg
HMT Minneapolis 1.jpg
History
Name HMT Minneapolis
Owner Atlantic Transport Co.
Builder Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Launched 18 Nov 1899
Completed 29 Mar 1900
In service 1900
Out of service 23 Mar 1916
Fate Torpedoed
General characteristics
Type Passenger ship
Tonnage 13,443 tons
Length 600 ft 6 in (183.11m)
Beam 65 ft 6 in (19.96m)
Depth 39 ft 6 in (12.04m)
Propulsion twin screw
Speed 16 knots (29.63 km/h)



Remarks

Owned at the time of her loss by the Atlantic Transport Co. Ltd. The Minneapolis cost $1,419,120 (£292,000) to build and had the largest registered tonnage of any ship afloat excepting the Oceanic when she was launched. Unusually, her maiden voyage took her across the Atlantic sailing in ballast. She collected her initial cargo and passengers in New York and arrived on the Thames for the first time on May 1, 1900. She is recorded in the Morton Allan Directory of European Passenger Steamship Arrivals making a grand total of 155 voyages to New York between May 1900 and February 1915.


On March 23rd, 1916, Minneapolis, on a voyage from Marseille to Alexandria carrying 60 tons horse fodder, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-35, 195 miles of the coast of Malta. 12 persons were lost. The destroyer Sheldrake rescued 166 of her crew and 1 passenger. Minneapolis evidently remained afloat for some hours after the attack and an attempt was made to tow her to Malta. She was towed in turn by the destroyer HMS Lydiard, the sloop HMS Nasturtium and finally by the tugs Veteran and Milon, but she sank on March 25.

Soldiers carried

Alexandria to Marseilles 15 - 21 March 1916