RMS Moldavia

The RMS Moldavia was a passenger steamship owned by the P&O Line. She was launched on 28 March 1903 and traveled the England to Australia route via the Suez Canal.

The Moldavia was purchased by the Admiralty in 1915 and converted into an armed merchant cruiser. She was torpedoed and sunk on 23 May 1918 off Beachy Head in the English Channel by a single torpedo from U-boat UB-57. At the time of her sinking she was being used as a troopship for United States troops. Fifty-six Americans soldiers were lost in the sinking.

Construction
The Moldavia was constructed by Caird & Company of Greenock, Scotland for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Her yard number was 301 and she was launched on 28 March 1903. The completed ship was 520 ft in length, a beam of 58.3 ft and a draught of 24.8 ft. The gross tonnage for the Moldavia was 9,500. Coal storage was 2,000 tons and cargo approximately 3,500 tons. The Moldavia was constructed for 348 first and 166 saloon class passengers.