Trafford

The ship struck a mine and was sunk in the Atlantic off Malin Head.  Mines
were laid by U-Boat - U80.    Employed as an Armed Merchant Cruiser.

SS Laurentic was built by Harland & Wolff at their Belfast yard No. 394 and
went down the slipway on 29th April 1909. A few months later, the same
Belfast workers began construction on her famous cousin, Titanic.

In 1917, SS Laurentic was chosen to carry forty-three tons of gold bullion
from Great Britain to Canada. On 25th January 1917 SS Laurentic struck a
mine and sank within an hour in 40 metres of water with a huge loss of life
and all the gold bullion worth more than the reserves of most small
countries in today’s values.

An incredible salvage feat between 1917 and 1924 recovered 3186 gold bars
of the missing 3211 with a further 5 being recovered in 1932 by another
salvage operation, leaving 20 gold bars still unaccounted for at the bottom
of Lough Swilly worth some £10 million at current prices.

Extracts from the Captain's report to the Admiralty on the Loss of SS
Laurentic, 25th January 1917 

The Loch Swilly Hotel,  Buncrana, Ireland.  28th January 1917

Sir,   I have the honour to submit the following report of the
circumstances attending the loss of my command, HMS LAURENTIC. I arrived at
Loch Swilly before daylight on Thursday, January 25th, anchoring two miles
inside the Boom about 7.45 am. At 4 pm, I exercised Action Stations,
Darkened Ship and closed all the Water-Tight Doors except those on D Deck
in the Port Alley-way which have to be left open for
communications...............

Captain Reginald Norton's full report on the sinking of the SS Laurentic
with the loss of the gold bullion is included with the share certificate
presentation pack. For more information on this unique gift. Click Here.

S.S. Laurentic (Steam Ship), but at different times in her active life she
has been R.M.S. Laurentic, (Royal Mail Ship).  Later becoming H.M.S. (His
Majesty's Ship).