Draft:SS Minnetonka (1901)

The SS Minnetonka was a British passenger and cargo ship that belonged to the Atlantic Transport Line (ATL). She sailed between London and New York from 1901 to 1918, carrying mostly first class passengers and valuable horses.

She was torpedoed and sunk by German submarines in 1918, with the loss of 12 lives. She was one of the four Minne-class ships that were the flagship vessels of the Atlantic Transport Line, along with SS Minneapolis, SS Minnehaha, and SS Minnewaska.

Construction
SS Minnetonka was constructed to be the youngest of three sisters of the Minne-class ships prior to the SS Minneapolis and SS Minnehaha being constructed and ordered by the Atlantic Transport Line.

The Minnetonka was fitted with one singular funnel, four masts, had twin screws and a top speed of 16 kn. There was passenger accommodation for 250-1st class only, she made her maiden voyage, Belfast-New York-London on May 17, 1902.

Service
She then entered Atlantic Transport Line's regular London-New York service following her first maiden voyage. She made her final Atlantic Transport Line sailing on December 31, 1914, and was then taken over as an armed auxiliary transport.

Sinking
On January 30, 1918, the SS Minnetonka was torpedoed by U-64 submarine and sank off Malta, a war casualty like her sisters. At the time, the ship was carrying mail from Port Said to Marseilles (now known as Marseille), and there were no troops aboard; all four of the fatalities were crew members. At the time of the sinking, she was encountered by two submarines, a U-64 and a UC-67 that were commanded by Lieutenant Captain Moraht (German: Kapitänleutnant Moraht).