Current Information:

Age-42

92, Siebert Road, Blackheath

HMS Louvain began life as the Steam Ship Dresden, a ferry boat operating on the Harwich to Antwerp route. Requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1915, she was renamed HMS Louvain and used as an armed boarding steamer. On 18 January 1918 she left Malta heading for Mudros carrying mail, officers and ratings and was escorted as far as the Corinth Canal at which stage the escort returned to Malta and Louvain passed independently through the canal at the eastern end of which she was met by HMS MTB Colne who was due to escort her on to Mudros. On 20th January, while sailing through the Aegean Sea she was torpedoed by the German submarine UC22 and swiftly sank. Of the 228 men aboard, 70 of whom were Maltese, there were only 16 survivors. Philip Bisson, on his way to join his own ship HMS Waterwitch, was one of those who lost their lives.