EXPLOSION OF S.S. SAINT LAURENT
The French freighter SS Saint Laurent arrived in Malta on February 4, 1917, and moored across the entrance of Lazzaretto Creek, with anchored bows and stern moored by ropes to the shore of the Ta’ Xbiex headland. Among the freighters cargo there was a quantity of ammunition. In early morning of February 5 there was an explosion onboard in Hold No. 1 (the forward-most hold) that killed an undisclosed number of French soldiers who were onboard. Very soon the hold caught fire and attempts to extinguish it failed because the conflagration was in the bottom of the hold and could not be reached without unloading part of the cargo.
However, due to the presence of the ammunition cargo, it was deemed too dangerous to wait until the cargo was removed for fear that the fire could spread into the hold that held the ammunition cargo and explode the explosives. To avert the explosion of the ammunition it was decided to sink the ship as quickly as possible in order to submerge and extinguish the fire.
The Royal Navy submarine HMS B11, which at that time was in Malta, was towed to sink the SS Saint Laurent.
London Gazette dated 9 November 1917.
Board of Trade, Whitehall Gardens, 8th November, -1917.
The KING has been graciously pleased "to confer the Decoration of the Albert Medal upon Acting Quartermaster-Serjeant James William Brown, Royal Army 'Medical Corps, Serjeant William Seymour, Northumberland Fusiliers and Privates Arthur 'Duff Hadden Allan and James Cuthbertson, of the Royal Army Medical • Corps (T.).
The following is an account-of the services in respect of which the Decoration has been conferred
On the morning of the 5th February 1917, a serious explosion, followed by a fire, occurred on the French troopship " St. Laurent" at Malta. After some time, it was observed that three men in the forepart of the ship, where the flames were fiercest, were cut off from the rest. None of the boats' near would approach the ship owing to the, heat and danger of a further explosion, until Acting Quartermaster-Serjeant Brown persuaded a Maltese Policeman to row him out but when within thirty yards of the ship the Policeman refused to go further. Brown returned and was then joined by Sevmour,' Allan and Cuthbertson. They rowed directly to the forepart of the ship, the sides of which were by this time red hot, while the plates were falling into the sea. When they were within a few yards of the ship two of the three men in the forepart jumped into the sea and were rescued the third, who had climbed up the mast, was saved later when the mast fell.
February 1917: Private Arthur Allan, 3rd Malta Convoy, RAMC. Also Acting Quartermaster Sergeant James Brown, 30 Company RAMC, and Private James Cuthbertson, 3rd Malta Convoy RAMC and Sergeant William Seymour, 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers. Rescued three seamen from the fire which followed a serious explosion aboard the French troopship “St Laurent” in harbour at Malta.
The French steamer Saint-Laurent had left Marseille, to Thessaloniki, January 30, having on board 381 passengers , including 246 French soldiers and 135 Greek civilians and about 2,300 tons of various goods.
45 military prisoners, under the surveillance of six gendarmes, were housed in the false bridge 3 - above the panels leading to the hold 3 . On the back, Greek and military. The prisoners were separated from the Greeks by a carefully sealed iron bulkhead door. As five prisoners had escaped at the time of the embarkation in Marseilles, an additional guard had been added to the gendarmes.
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Some of those who died and are at rest in the Military Section of Addolorata Cemetery, Malta
CERRITO Jean Alphonse Soldier 40th Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917. Born 20 January 1888 in Algeria.
At rest in E.EA.A.619
PUJOLLE Jean Marie Francois, Gendarme of the Legion of Paris. Died 5 February1917. Born 21 November 1884. Son of Basil PUJOLLE and Marie CASTÉRAN. Died during the explosion in the harbour aboard a mixed freighter, St Laurent.
Gendarme Pujolle was escorting deserter soldiers on the ship.
At rest in E.EA.A.698
COMPAIN Martial Pierre/Rene 2nd Gunner, Driver, 30 Eme Regt D’Artillerie (30th Artillery Regiment, 106th Battery). Died 5 February 1917 on board St Laurent. Born 5 July 1885 Oradour-sur-Glane, son of Leonard Compain and Marguerite Bureau. Husband of Marguerite Masson who he married 6 June 1914.
At rest in E.EA.A. 696
BADOL Aime Jules Alphonse. Private 2nd Class 40th Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917 on board St Laurent. Born 29 May 1894. Son of Jean Francois, farmer and Louise Morliere.
At rest in E.EA.A. 697
SABARLY Alphonse Pierre. Private 2nd Class 54th Colonial Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917.
Listed as At rest in E.EA.A. 697 – grave unknown? No headstone.
PASTRE Honore Marius. Private 2nd Class. Died 5 February 1917 on board St Laurent. Born 8 October 1883 Le Syne-sur-Mer, resided in Port-de-Bouce. Son of Arthur Pastre and Magdalena Julie Pugnaire.
At rest in E.EA.A. 622 Grave unknown? No headstone
TABOUL Pierre Paul Simon. Private 2nd Class 40th Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917 on board St Laurent. Born 28 May 1883 at Ales (Gard).
At rest in E.EA.A. 698
TOUPANCE Joseph Octave Clement. Private 2nd Class. 40th Infantry Regiment. Died 15 February 1917 on board St Laurent. Born 7 September 1896 at Brandelon, Bazoches-les-Hautes. Son of Louis clement Toupance and Josephine Octavia Domage.
At rest in E.EA.A. 699
VELAY Leon Albert. Private 2nd Class 40th Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917 on board St. Laurent. Born 29 July 1895 Racoules. Fraissinet-de-Lozere and residing in Orthoux. Son of Leon Velay and Paulonie June.
At rest in E.EA.A. 632
CHAUVIN Paul Marius. Private 37th Colonial Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917 on board St. Laurent. Born 8 April 1889 Hyeres. Son of Emile Auguste Chauvin, farmer and Philomene Josephine Ajcardi.
At rest in E.EA.A. 699 HEADSTONE STATES CHAUVIE, ALL RECORDS SHOW CHAUVIN.
RAGUENEZ Edmond. Private 29th Class 37th Colonial Infantry Regiment. Died 21 February 1917 at a hospital in Malta from wounds received in the explosion on board St Laurent 5 February 1917. Born 26 October 1896 in Brest. Son of Pauline Augustine Raguenez.
At rest in E.EA.A. 635
COLOMBET Constantin Emile. Private. Died 5 February 1917 on board St. Laurent. Born 29 July 1889 at La Colombiere, Dommartin-lès-Cuiseaux. Son of Jean Pierre Claude colombet and Marie Virginie Buisson.
At rest in E.EA.A. 697
LAROCHE Georges Julien. Private 2nd Class 42nd Colonial Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917. Born 21 February 1890 Melisey and resided Corbenay. Son of Francois Joseph Felicien Laroche, carrier and Eugenie Demsey.
At rest in E.EA.A. 698
MOUSNY Oscar. Private 2nd Class 42nd Colonial Infantry Regiment. Died 5 February 1917. Private Mousny was a Military prisoner onboard the St Laurent.
At rest in E.EA.A. 700
ERNOULT Eugene Charles Henri. Private 2nd Class 1st Genie Regiment. Died 5 February 1917. Born 13 October 1883 at La Fontaine. Son of Joseph Arsene Ernoult, moulder and Judith Felicite Charlotte Barrault. Husband of Marguerite Augustine ???
At rest in E.EA.A. 618
BIJON Francois Le Matelot Chauffeur Died 5 February 1917 in the explosion on the St Laurent.
At rest in E.EA.A. 699
