The four-masted cargo ship SS Harpalyce was launched in 1911 and was owned by J & C Harrison of London, in April of 1915 she was being used for relief of the Belgian population by the Red Cross in New York. The ship sailed to Rotterdam and unloaded her cargo without incident, she left Rotterdam on Apr. 10, 1915 bound for Norfolk, Virginia in ballast, she was flying a large white flag which had "Commission for Belgian Relief" emblazoned on it, if that could not be seen, the same was painted on her hull in large white letters, these letters could be seen some miles away.

She was also carrying a certificate signed by Baron Richard von Kühlmann, German minister at The Hague, which guaranteed safe passage to the ship while on the relief mission. The certificate read;

In accordance with an agreement between the Imperial Government and the Government of the United States, the undersigned German Imperial Minister that the steamer Harpalyce, Captain F. Wawn, port of origin London, has exclusively transported cargo of the American Commission for the relief in Belgium of the needy Belgian civil population.

This safe conduct has been drafted under the following conditions---

1. It is valid for the present return journey.

2. It must, immediately after the arrival of the ship in an American port, be handed over to a German Consul or to the Imperial Ambassador in Washington.

3. The captain has declared on his honor that he will refrain from actions on journey to and from which could assist the enemies of Germany.

4. Vessels of the Imperial Navy have the right to search the vessel, and all assistance must be given in order to expedite such examination.

5. Non-compliance with these conditions deprives the ship of all right to privileged treatment.

It is added that the course round the Shetland Islands was recommended, and the vessel was urgently warned not to take a course through the waters declared to be a war zone by Germany, and especially the English Channel.

Signed Baron von Kühlmann

At 10a.m, in broad daylight, out of nowhere a torpedo slammed into the starboard side of the ship causing such damage that the ship sank in less than five minuets. There were forty-four people on board and no time to launch lifeboats, one boat that did make it into the water had a leak, others were floated off as the ship went down.

SMS UB-4, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Karl Gross, made no attempt to aid the survivors and it was later claimed by the Germans that Gross had not been informed about the arrangement with the Americans. Other vessels in the area including SS Elizabeth, SS Constance Catherine and SS Ruby, picked up the twenty-nine survivors, several of whom were badly injured, fifteen others did not survive.

Captain Wawn was not among the survivors, but it was not from lack of trying. Anders Johansson, a native of Finland and the First Officer, was seen in the water trying to save the captain, he had his arm around the captain trying to keep him afloat, the valiant attempt apparently cost him his life, neither man were rescued.

Chief Engineer Henry Harwood made an equally brave attempt to save two other crewmen, he went down in the wash as the ship was going under to rescue a cook and an apprentice, he hauled both men back to the surface and held them above water until his strength failed him, just before rescue came he lost consciousness letting loose of the two men in his hands, a boat from the SS Elizabeth picked him up, but the others apparently perished. He did not regain consciousness for three hours.

Harpalyce was the first ship sunk by Gross and the UB-4, three others would fall to his boat before he became the victim. The UB-4 and her whole crew went down on Aug. 15, 1915 when she attempted to sink a fishing vessel named Inverlyon, he made a poor choice as Inverlyon was a Q-Ship, which opened fire killing Gross outright and finally sinking the boat.