The A.E. Ames left the Great Lakes for saltwater service in 1917 and never returned. It continued to operate overseas after the war only to be lost, via enemy action, seventy-six years ago.
This vessel was built at Howden-on-Tyne, England, in 1903 and came to the Great Lakes for the Canadian Lake Line.
The 78.33 metre long steamer had two cargo holds and five hatches and became part of the original Canada Steamship Lines fleet in 1913.
After going to Europe for war service, the A.E. Ames operated on coastal runs around the British Isles and to the European continent. It was renamed Breughel for Belgian interests in 1920 and Ginette Leborgne by a French firm in 1925.
Another war found the ship still in service but facing other demands. It was sent to North Africa in late summer 1940 and was returning demobilized troops to France when it hit a mine off San Pietro Island in the Mediterranean on September 12 and sank the next day.
Source: NiagaraThisWeek
