SS Carthage (1910)

Carthage was requisitioned by the French Navy following the outbreak of World War I in 1914 and transformed into an Auxiliary cruiser before the ship was repurposed as a Troopship on 23 February 1915. On 30 June 1915, Carthage arrived at Cape Helles, Gallipoli and lay at anchor 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) from the coast as she started to unload her cargo of ammunitions with the help of five barges that lay alongside the ship. Carthage had unloaded all her cargo over the period of four days and was taking on additional cargo which included horses for her next destination, when on 4 July 1915 at about 1.50 pm, the German submarine U-21 fired a torpedo at the ship from a distance of 800 metres (2,624 ft 8 in). The torpedo wake was spotted by the crew and Captain François Antoine Vecchioli, but nothing could prevent the torpedo from striking the port side of Carthage, just aft of the engine room. Carthage began to rapidly settle by the stern, which caused her bow to stand nearly vertical out of the water before she sank below the waves only four minutes after the attack.^[5] The five barges, as well as the tugboat Phoceen, the hospital ship Bretagne and several other vessels and Port Authority motorboats that were all nearby the wrecksite came to the aid of the stricken crew of Carthage. Out of her crew of 94, a total of six were missing and presumed lost with the ship while the other 88 were brought safely ashore.^[6]

Carthage lies upright in 85 metres (278 ft 10 in) of water and is in good condition. Part of her wooden deck is still preserved, as are the davits, chains, portholes, crew quarters, engine room, stairs and overall interior. The wreck is overgrown by marine life and her masts and funnels still lay off the ship's port side. The torpedo hole that caused her loss is also visible on the wreck.^[7]