Harland and Wolff - Shipbuilding and Engineering Works

Bibby Line's first ship to exceed 10,000grt. she became Bibby's first World War 2 casualty on 17th September 1939. She was proceeding in convoy from Gibraltar to Liverpool when, at 0836 and as commodore ship, she reported that they were resisting an attack from a submarine which then proceeded to submerge and shadow the convoy. At 1643 she was torpedoed by U-37 off the coast of France with the loss of 33 passengers and 25 crew members.

The US steamship Independence Hall rescued 118 passengers and 160 crew. The submarine surfaced and, in English, thanked the American ship, which was still neutral, for rescuing the survivors.