Maritime record MWX1652 - Meknes (Puerto Rico)

Built: 1913 Builder: Chantiers and Ateliers de St. Nazaire Where Built: St. Nazaire Propulsion: Screw driven, 6 cylinder triple expansion engine Construction: p.deck 268ft; f.castle 46ft Machinery: 2 x LP turbines; twin screw Owner: Cie. Generale Transatlantique Crew: 104 Crew Lost: 33 Passengers: 1300 Passengers Lost: 402 Date of Loss Qualifier: A Ex-PUERTO RICO. Vessel was attacked by German motor torpedo E-Boats in position 50.04.10N and 02.14.30W. She turned and made for the English coast due to the large number of troops on board, but sank in the position stated some time after. (1)(2)

The liner MEKNES left Southampton on July 24th 1940 with 1281 French sailors, of whom 102 were crew, and 99 officers and 1080 ratings were personnel of the French Navy. France had capitulated in June and the seamen were being repatriated. The ship was marked with French colours and was brightly illuminated in order that no possibility of mistake as to nationality might occur. At about 10.30pm in a position somewhere off Portland, she was intercepted by a German torpedo boat which opened fire with machine and quick firing guns. The MEKNES signalled her name and nationality and came to a standstill to await the E-boat commanders explanation. Instead of this she received a torpedo and sank in ten minutes. Of those on board the MEKNES, 898 survivors were landed in England, leaving nine officers and 374 ratings to be accounted for, of whom some may have reached France in boats. Over 100 of the survivors had to be sent to hospital. (3)

A door lock has been recovered from this wreck, 20 miles SE of Portland Bill. (Droit A/877).(5)
A tankard, two lamps, a hand bell, a plate and a sextant frame have been recovered from this wreck, 20 miles SE of Portland Bill. (Droit A/1366).(5)
A saucer and a porthole recovered from this wreck, 15 miles S of Portland Bill. (Droit A/1725).(5)
A brass stand, a brass bowl, and 3 portholes recovered from this wreck, south of Portland. (Droit A/2820).(5)
3 portholes recovered from this wreck, 30 miles S of Weymouth. (Droit A/2824).(5)
A porthole recovered from this wreck, position 50 15N 002 01W. (Droit A/3613).(5)

A porthole recovered from this wreck, approximately 20 miles south of the Bill of Portland. (Droit 235/04) (6)

A porthole with backing plate and glass, hinged; a brass light fitting, lacking glass and bulb, recovered from this wreck, approximately slightly east of 30 miles south of the Bill of Portland. (Droit 265/04) (6)

A porthole with broken glass recovered from this wreck. (Droit 028/05) (7)

A circular porthole glass, 360mm diameter, and a brass porthole turnbuckle & nut, recovered from the MEKNES; exact position unknown to finder, but recovered in 1994 on a day trip out of Weymouth. (Droit 026/07) (8)



Additional sources: LR.1939-40 No.29567(M);

gross tonnage

<1> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<2> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<3> Hocking, Charles, 1990, Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam, p464 (Monograph). SWX4536.

<4> 1989, Lloyds war losses: the Second World War 3 September-14 August 1945, p104 (Index). SWX4997.

<5> 2001, Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Receiver of Wreck Amnesty (Index). SWX4542.

<6> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/1366 (Unpublished document). SWX428.

<7> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/0877 (Unpublished document). SWX366.

<8> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/1725 (Unpublished document). SWX456.

<9> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/2820 (Unpublished document). SWX550.

<10> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/2824 (Unpublished document). SWX553.

<11> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 67 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<12> National Record of the Historic Environment, 900906 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 21 2024 1:53PM