HMT Aragon

HMT Aragon was a large passenger liner owned by the British government that was converted to a troopship when war broke out. The letters HMT stand for "Hired Military Transport", designating a merchant vessel chartered by the state to carry troops. The ship was originally operated by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and had been used on passenger routes between Britain and South America.

In 1917, while carrying troops and crew, the ship was struck by a German submarine torpedo off the coast of Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel sank, with heavy loss of life. The incident was among the most significant losses suffered by British troopships during this period.

Construction and commercial service

Aragon was built in the early twentieth century and was designed for passenger and mail service on the South Atlantic route. Ships of this type typically combined first-class accommodation with substantial cargo capacity, and shipping companies customarily entered into agreements with the government to charter vessels in wartime.

War service

Following the outbreak of war in 1914, Aragon was used to transport troops to the eastern Mediterranean, notably on voyages connected with the Gallipoli campaign and operations based in Egypt. Ships of this type typically sailed in convoys or under escort by smaller warships, as German submarines posed a constant threat.

Sinking

Late in 1917, while near the coast of Alexandria in Egypt, Aragon was struck by a torpedo. A British destroyer that took part in rescuing those in the water was itself sunk shortly afterwards. Casualties numbered in the hundreds, though some passengers were rescued and brought to port.