An item dated Paris 29 February reported that the auxiliary cruiser Provence II was sunk on the 26th in the Mediterranean while underway with troops towards Saloniki.(1) On board were around 1,800 men of which 296 were brought to Malta and about 400 to Milos. The Vlissingse Courant of the same date calling her Provence supplied more details She sunk in the night of 26-27 February and the survivors were brought with French and British troop transports, destroyers and sloops to Malta and Milos. Later reported the French naval staff that at Milo 489 survivors arrived and another 85 on board of a patrol vessel were expected. It was still unknown if she was torpedoed. The edition dated 2 March reported that she was torpedoed by a German submarine.
De Soldaten Courant of 10 March published an account of representative Bokanowski – one of the survivors- written to president Poincaré of her last moments. On board was a battalion of the 3rd regiment colonial infantry. Soldiers and sailors kept their calmness despite what the disaster and there was no panic. She sunk quite fast and Bokanowski sprung overboard when the incoming seawater reached the steam boilers. Within some minutes he heard explosions and within minutes she disappeared under the surface. Her captain stayed on board with a large number of men shouting Vive la France when she went down first with her bow at 03.15 o’clock. After 18 hours were the first survivors picked up by a British patrol vessel and a French destroyer and brought to Milos and Malta. Bokanowski mentioned especially captain Vesco commanding the Provence, his deputy lieutenant Bassow and colonel Duhalde commanding the 3rd regiment which stayed on at the bridge giving orders to save the men on board. The gunners of the gun placed aft loaded it immediately after the ship was torpedoed and stayed until the gun disappeared underwater hoping to be able to destroy the enemy. Lieutenant Noel commanding the trawler Canada started searching after receiving the SOS and stayed fro 36 hours on his post. Medicin major Navarra of the 3rd regiment colonial infantry who was saved by the trawler after drifting 16 hours on a raft refused clothes and food until taken care was of the wounded and sick. Further more he mentioned the ships’ clerk Gauthier saved after 21 hours and he thanked the crew of the British patrol vessel which saved 300 survivors and brought them to Malta.
Note
1. The originally ocean liner which was torpedoed on 26 February 196 belonged to the French shipping company Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. Converted into a troop transport and at the same time used as an auxiliary cruiser. In peace time could she carry 1,960 people.
