In the English Channel... The steamer Meknes, carrying 1277 French sailors to Marseilles, is sunk by the German motor torpedo boat S-27 off the coast of Portland, England. A total of 383 on board are killed.
In Bucharest... The Romanian government nationalizes the Astra-Romana Oil Company (part of the Royal Dutch/Shell Oil Company).
Brought into service in March 1914 on the line Le Havre-Haïti under the name of Puerto Rico. White hull. Sistership : HAITI / MARRAKECH.- In 1929, receives new boilers in Hamburg, by way of war compensations, following what she is renamed MEKNES and placed,- in October, on the Bordeaux-Casablanca line. Black hull. In 1936, during the summer, she inaugurates a new line connecting Le Havre to the Baltic.- In 1940, is transformed into transport of troops.- July 24, 1940, whereas she repatriated to France the refugees gathered together in Southampton, she is torpedoed by the german coastal motor boat S-27.- The survivors are rescued by English destroyers DRAKE, WOLVERINE, SABRE and SHIKARI.- To explain torpedoing, the german government will assert that the departure of the steamer had not been officially notified by the British authorities.
