HS Koningin Regentes

HS Koningin Regentes was a Dutch hospital ship that was torpedoed by the Imperial Germany Navy submarine SM UB-107 on 6 June 1918 while returning to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from Boston, Lincolnshire, England.

Construction
HS Koningin Regentes was built as the paddle steamer PSS Koningin Regentes at the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. shipyard in Govan, Scotland, in 1895. She was launched on 9 July 1895, and completed later that year. The ship was 97.5 m long, had a beam of 11 m, and had a depth of 4.9 m. She was assessed at and had triple-expansion engines driving her paddle wheel. The engine was rated at 1.305 nhp and the ship could reach a maximum speed of 20 knots.

Early career
The Koningin Regentes was used as a ferry boat between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom until the outbreak of World War I. She sometimes also carried mail as cargo.

World War I
After World War I began, Koningin Regentes was refitted with special accommodations and a new layer of paint for service as a hospital ship. Her name was therefore also changed to HS Koningin Regentes. The Koningin Regentes now served on a new route between Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Boston, Lincolnshire, England, and operated on this route for nearly the entire war.

Sinking
On 6 June 1918 Koningin Regentes departed Boston bound for Rotterdam. When she was 21 miles east of Leman lightship, she was torpedoed by the Imperial German Navy submarine SM UB-107 and sank shortly afterwards. Seven people lost their lives in the sinking and the survivors were saved soon after.

Wreck
The wreck of Koningin Regentes  lies at a depth of 30 m and is broken in several pieces. It lies close to an English drilling site, and the sea floor is level with only sand and shells; visibility is also very good. One of the ship′s steam engines lies on top of the ship and her decks have collapsed and are under a lot of sand.