On 4th May 1917 the “SS Transylvania” was torpedoed off Cape Vado, a few miles south of Savona, Italy. The ship was en route to Bulgaria / Salonika. The SS Transylvania had left Marseilles on 3rd May 1917 with an escort of 2 Japanese destroyers, the Matsu and the Sakati. At 10am on 4th May the ship was struck in the port engine room by a torpedo from a U-boat. At the time the ship was on a zig-zag course at a speed of 14 knots, being two and half miles south of Cape Vado, Gulf of Genoa. She at once headed for the land two miles distant, while the Matsu came alongside to take off the troops, the Sakati meanwhile steaming around to keep the submarine submerged. Twenty minutes later a torpedo was seen coming straight for the destroyer alongside & Matsu saved herself by going astern at full speed. The torpedo then struck the Transylvania and she sank very quickly, less than an hour having elapsed since she was first hit. On board the Transylvania were 2860 British soldiers, 200 officers and 50 Red Cross nurses. Of the passengers, 29 military officers (including Lt. Basdell) and 373 other ranks were killed. see wikipedia
From Ann’s Diary:
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