▁were ▁to ▁be ▁clearly ▁marked ▁and ▁lit ▁to ▁make ▁them ▁easy ▁to ▁identify . ▁Nevertheless , ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁the ▁Imperial ▁German ▁Navy ▁attacked ▁and ▁s ank ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁British ▁hospital ▁ships . ▁The ▁UK ▁Government ▁then ▁announced ▁it ▁would ▁ce ase ▁mark ing ▁hospital ▁ships , ▁alleg ing ▁that ▁German ▁vessels ▁had ▁used ▁their ▁mark ings ▁and ▁light ing ▁to ▁target ▁them . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁a ▁German ▁sub marine ▁tried ▁to ▁attack ▁Don eg al ▁but ▁the ▁ste amer ▁managed ▁to ▁out run ▁her . ▁Then ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁both ▁Don eg al ▁and ▁a ▁larger ▁ship , ▁, ▁were ▁s unk ▁by ▁U - bo ats ▁when ▁carrying ▁British ▁wounded ▁across ▁the ▁English ▁Channel . ▁ ▁Don eg al ▁had ▁sa iled ▁from ▁Le ▁Hav re ▁bound ▁for ▁South am pton ▁carrying ▁ 6 1 0 ▁light ly ▁wounded ▁soldiers ▁and ▁ 7 0 ▁crew . ▁She ▁had ▁a ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁esc ort . ▁She ▁was ▁about ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Dean ▁light ▁vessel ▁when ▁the ▁German ▁Type ▁U C ▁II ▁sub marine ▁ ▁tor ped o ed ▁her . ▁She ▁s ank ▁with ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁ 2 9 ▁wounded ▁British ▁soldiers ▁and ▁ 1 2 ▁of ▁her ▁crew . ▁ ▁A ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Reserve ▁Lieutenant , ▁H ▁H ole house , ▁jump ed ▁from ▁his ▁ship ▁into ▁the ▁sea ▁to ▁recover ▁one ▁of ▁Don eg als ▁wounded ▁soldiers ▁from ▁the ▁water