SS Espagne (Provence, 1909)

Espagne was the only transatlantic ocean liner built by Chantiers & Ateliers de Provence.^[4] Launched on 19 December 1909, she was completed in October 1910.^[2] Her port of registry was Le Havre and the Code Letters OGPR were allocated.^[3]

Espagne served on routes to Central America and the West Indies.^[4] In April 1911, she was chartered as a troopship along with Aquitaine and Moulouya to transport 2,700 troops from Marseille, France, Algiers, Bône and Philippeville, Algeria to Constantinople, Ottoman Empire.^[5] In September 1911, she developed a leak on arrival at Santander, Spain and was taken to Le Havre for repairs. In mid-1912, she was used on the Le Havre – New York route.^[4] Following the Tampico Affair, Espagne transported 100 refugees from Puerto Mexico to Veracruz, Mexico.^[6]

Espagne returned to the Le Havre – New York route from mid-1914. She transferred to the Bordeaux – New York route in 1915.^[4] In February 1916, American passengers booked to travel on Espagne received anonymous letters telling them not to.^[7] From 1916–20, she served as a troopship. Espagne returned to the Central American and Caribbean routes in 1920.^[4] In 1926, a decree was issued in Mexico that all priests had to be born there. A number of Spanish priests were arrested and deported. Fourteen of them travelled on Espagne from Veracruz to a Spanish port in February 1926.^[8] On 20 August 1926, she struck a rock off A Coruña, Spain and damaged one of her propellers.^[9] Espagne served until June 1932, when she was laid up.^[10][2] She was scrapped at Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Atlantique in May 1934, by the company M. Glotz.^[4][1]

• A short video dedicated to the Espagne with numerous photographs