SS Alcantara was an ocean liner

Ocean liner

An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...

 that went into service just weeks before the start of World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, was converted to an armed merchant cruiser in 1914, and was sunk by the German armed merchant cruiser SMS Greif

SMS Greif

SMS Greif was a converted freighter serving as a merchant raider with Imperial Germany.Originally named Guben, she was a steel-hulled steamship owned by the German-Australian Line , Hamburg. Greif was converted for military service at Kaiserliche Werft Kiel, in 1915...

on 29 February 1916 in the North Sea.

Alcantara was built by Harland & Wolff for Royal Mail Lines, launched in October 1913 and made her maiden voyage

Maiden voyage

The maiden voyage of a ship, aircraft or other craft is the first journey made by the craft after shakedown. A number of traditions and superstitions are associated with it....

 in June of 1914, following a Southampton

Southampton

Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...

-South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

 route.

In 1915 the ship was outfitted with six 6-inch guns, anti-aircraft guns and depth charges, and commissioned as HMS Alcantara.

Battle with Greif

Greif was disguised as the Norwegian

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 Rena out of Tonsberg, Norway when intercepted by Alcantara on the morning of 29 February. Alcantara closed to 2000 yards and slowed to lower a boarding cutter when Greif hoisted the German battle ensign, increased speed, and opened fire.

Alcantara returned fire from the port side guns. Range was never more than 3000 yards. One of Greifs torpedoes detonated amidships against Alcantaras port side, and one of Alcantaras shells exploded the ready ammunition for Greifs after gun. Both ships lost speed.

Greifs crew abandoned ship 40 minutes after opening fire. Alcantara sank first. The light cruiser Comus

HMS Comus (1914)

HMS Comus was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was part of the Caroline group of the C-class of cruisers.She was laid down on 13 November 1913, launched 16 December 1914 and commissioned into the navy on 15 May 1915. She was assigned to the Grand Fleet upon completion, and then went...

 and destroyer Munster then arrived to sink the stationary Greif and rescue 210 German survivors.

External links

• Details of the encounter with Greif