WAR POPPY
A 5285 ton ‘A’ type standard launched on 2 July 1919 as War Poppy by Napier and Miller Ltd. Old Kilpatrick, Glasgow. Her engine was built and supplied by Dunsmuir & Jackson Ltd., Glasgow. She was completed on 6 October 1919 as Knockfierna for Limerick SS Co. Ltd., Limerick. She is shown as Knockfierna in this photograph.
In 1935 she was sold to Greece and renamed Aegeon.
On 11 April she was sailing unescorted on voyage Buenos Aires to Barry Roads with a cargo of 7151 tons of wheat when at 20.59 hours without warning she was hit in the engine room by one torpedo from U-124 about 170 miles west-southwest of Freetown. She sank by the stern at 21.35 hours with the loss of 4 of her compliment of 31 crew members. Shortly after the sinking the U-boat surfaced but left without questioning the survivors as she had sighted another ship.
The survivors were picked up by the British motor merchant Sheaf Holme and landed at Freetown on 14 April.
Photograph belongs to Stuart Smith.
Photographer unknown.
