SS Ausonia (1909)

''Ausonia'' had her first encounter with a [[U-boat|German submarine]] off the coast of southern [[Ireland]] on 11 June 1917, when she was hit by a single torpedo from {{SMU|U-55}} while she was travelling from Montreal, Canada to [[Avonmouth]], United Kingdom. A single person was killed in the explosion and the ship sustained serious damage. But ''Ausonia'' managed to stay afloat long enough to reach the Irish port of [[Cobh|Queenstown]], where she was repaired and later returned to service.{{cite web |url=https://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/T-Ships/tortona1909.html |title=TYNE BUILT SHIPS |publisher=tynebuiltships.co.uk |date= |access-date=3 April 2025}}

''Ausonia'' had her first encounter with a [[U-boat|German submarine]] off the coast of southern [[Ireland]] on 11 June 1917, when she was hit by a single torpedo from {{SMU|U-55}} while she was travelling from Montreal, Canada to [[Avonmouth]], United Kingdom. A single person was killed in the explosion and the ship sustained serious damage. But ''Ausonia'' managed to stay afloat long enough to reach the Irish port of [[Cobh|Queenstown]], where she was repaired and later returned to service.{{cite web |url=https://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/T-Ships/tortona1909.html |title=TYNE BUILT SHIPS |publisher=tynebuiltships.co.uk |date= |access-date=3 April 2025}}

''Ausonia'' was travelling from [[Liverpool]], United Kingdom to [[New York City]], United States under the command of Captain Robert Capper while carrying 140 crew members and general cargo, when she was hit by a torpedo from {{SMU|U-62||6}} {{convert|620|nmi|lk=in}} west south west of the [[Fastnet Lighthouse|Fastnet Rock]] in the Atlantic Ocean on 30 May 1918. The initial explosion killed eight crew members and had damaged the ship, but not enough to sink her. Noticing this, {{lang|de|[[Kapitänleutnant]]}} Ernst Hashagen of {{SMU|U-62}} ordered to surface the U-boat about 45 minutes after having torpedoed ''Ausonia'' and began to shell the ship with artillery fire. The surviving crew were able to abandon ship in her lifeboats before the shelling began and subsequentely watched the ''Ausonia'' founder. The survivors drifted in the lifeboats for eight days before being rescued by {{HMS|Zinnia|1915|6}} on 8 June 1918 and landed at [[Castletownbere]]. An additional 35 crew died before rescue arrived and another badly injured survivor died two days after being rescued in a Liverpool hospital, bringing the total death toll to 44.

''Ausonia'' was travelling from [[Liverpool]], United Kingdom to [[New York City]], United States under the command of Captain Robert Capper while carrying 140 crew members and general cargo, when she was hit by a torpedo from {{SMU|U-62||6}} {{convert|620|nmi|lk=in}} west south west of the [[Fastnet Lighthouse|Fastnet Rock]] in the Atlantic Ocean on 30 May 1918. The initial explosion killed eight crew members and had damaged the ship, but not enough to sink her. Noticing this, {{lang|de|[[Kapitänleutnant]]}} Ernst Hashagen of {{SMU|U-62}} ordered to surface the U-boat about 45 minutes after having torpedoed ''Ausonia'' and began to shell the ship with artillery fire. The surviving crew were able to abandon ship in her lifeboats before the shelling began and subsequently watched the ''Ausonia'' founder. The survivors drifted in the lifeboats for eight days before being rescued by {{HMS|Zinnia|1915|6}} on 8 June 1918 and landed at [[Castletownbere]]. An additional 35 crew died before rescue arrived and another badly injured survivor died two days after being rescued in a Liverpool hospital, bringing the total death toll to 44.

== Wreck ==

== Wreck ==