Daily Event for February 12


February 12, 1917 The White Star Liner Afric was torpedoed and sunk by the UC-66 in the English Channel. One of the Jubilee class ships, Afric was launched on Nov. 16, 1898 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast. The ship was intended for the England to Australia route but made her maiden voyage to New York on Feb. 8, 1899. She did not make her first Australian voyage until September of that year following some improvements at Harland & Wolff.

In 1900 the Afric was used as a transport in the Boer War where she served until 1902 and was then returned to White Star control. The Afric had an uneventful career until she was called on again by the Admiralty for war service in the Great War.

When the Afric was sunk five people were killed in the initial explosion and seventeen drowned. One hundred and forty five survived.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com


RMS Afric