Dec. 11, 1912 the White Star liner Ceramic was launched at Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. Ceramic served
in both world wars as a troopship. Tragically she was sunk 5 days short of her 30th year in the water on
Dec. 7, 1942 when the U-515 torpedoed her near the Azores. The appalling loss of life included many members
of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service and 133 passengers, including 12 children. Only
Sapper Eric Munday of the Royal Engineers survived having been picked up by the U-515, he spent the rest of
the war as a POW in Italy. In total six hundred and fifty-six souls were lost.

© 2007 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com

Postcard of the Ceramic.