Troop transports were requisitioned by the Commonwealth governments for the purpose of transporting the overseas but in addition to carrying troops, horses and military stores they also carried wool, metals, meat, flour and other foodstuffs, mainly for Britain and France. The fleet consisted mainly of British steamers and a few captured enemy ships Here are a few ...... Alaunia: In 1914 the Alaunia and the Andania, were used as troop ships carrying Canadian troops across the Atlantic. In the summer of 1915 both the ships were involved in the Gallipoli campaign. Later that year the Alaunia carried troops to Bombay. In 1916 the Alaunia struck a mine and sank two miles off the Royal Sovereign Lightship. Andania: The Andania was used to transport the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Royal Dublin Fusiliers to Cape Helles for the landings at Suvla. In 1918 she was hit by a torpedo a few miles from Altacarry Light (County Antrim). Aurania: The Aurania was completed in 1917. She was employed in the North Atlantic, but after having made only seven trips she was hit by a torpedo 15 miles off Inishtrahull. Ascania: When the war broke out the Ascania worked on the North Atlantic. On the eastward journeys, the third class areas were occupied by Canadian troops. In 1918 Ascania ran aground off Cape Ray. Aquitania: Commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1914 the Aquitania first patrolled the Western Approaches but after colliding with a cargo ship it was decided that she was too big to be an armoured merchant cruiser. However she was used in the Gallipoli landings. In the latter part of the war she was employed as a hospital ship. Campania: Built in 1893, the Campania was originally a record-breaking transatlantic liner. Campania was saved from being scrapped by the outbreak of the war. As most of the other Cunarders were being used by the Admiralty, the Campania was used for passenger trips. Eventually Cunard decided that she was no longer needed and put her up for sale. The Admiralty came to the rescue as they were looking for a ship which could be converted to carry seaplanes. Purpose built planes called Fairy Campanias were built and the ship had room for ten on her decks. The Campania was now the world's largest aircraft carrier. She was a great success, but unfortunately in November 1918, she sank after dragging her anchors and colliding with first Royal Oak and then Glorious in the Firth of Forth. Carmania: Three days after war was declared, Carmania was converted into a armoured merchant cruiser. Both her and her sister ship, the Caronia were armed with 4.7 inch guns. In mid-September 1914 she sunk the German liner Cap Trafalgar. The Carmania was going to help at Gallipoli but she ran aground on the way and ended up just picking up survivors from three battleships torpedoed in the Dardanelles. The Carmania was the first Cunard liner to have turbines. Caronia: The Caronia was the Carmania's sister-ship and was the first to be turned into an armoured merchant cruiser. On the 19th August 1914 she captured the German ship Odessa carrying a cargo of nitrate. In August 1916 she was repaired and given back to the Cunard Line. Both ships survived the war and in June 1919 the Caronia was returned to Cunard.
After the war Australia seemed to have trouble getting troop ships to bring their troops back home. John
A webpage I have recently finished shows my father's ship albeit at an earlier time used as a troop transport carrying ANZACS back home in 1919. The page mainly concerns Canadians but the photos pertain to transporting ANZACS. http://www.sscityofcairo.co.uk/worldwarone.php Regards Hugh
Oh my ! thank you for letting us see your site Hugh ... you've put a lot of work into that ! That Spanish Influenza was a terrible thing wasn't it ?! .... Annie
Thank you Annie. It's difficult to comprehend the numbers involved here. But I suppose you can understand with many people in close contact with each other and a lot of movement of troops etc. The only thing was it didn't discriminate: it killed combatants and civilians a like. Regards Hugh
Hello Hugh, Double WOW, What a fantastic site you have. Sailors of the merchant navy done an excelent job in both world war. John
Heres a few more ....... Franconia - At the start of the war Franconia continued her regular service from Liverpool to New York. Then in February 1915 she was turned into a troopship and was sent straight to Gallipoli where she took casualties to the safety of the Egyptian port. On the 4th of October 1916, bound for Salonika, she was torpedoed and sank. There were no troops on board and only 12 of the crew were killed. Laconia - The Laconia was turned into an armed merchant cruiser in 1914. She was based at Simonstown in the South Atlantic which she patrolled until April 1915. Laconia was then used as a headquarters ship for the operations to capture Tanga and the colony of German East Africa (Tanzania). Four months later she returned to the patrolling of the South Atlantic. The Laconia was handed back to Cunard in July 1916. Invernia - The Invernia was taken over by the Royal Navy and used for troop transport to Canada and the Mediterranean. She was sunk by a torpedo about 60 miles SE of Cape Matapan in Greece while carrying troops. Most of the crew were saved by the Rifleman or trawlers who were accompanying her. Annie
Thank you for that Annie. There were many Troopships used in both world wars - but especially during the First. As well as the ones that you have listed there were many others including: Asturias, Assaye, City of Cairo, City of Marseilles, Czar, Demosthenes, Devonshire, Dongola, Dunluce Castle, Empire Clyde, Hardinge, Himalaya, Jumna, Lancashire, Malabar, Neuralia, Nevassa, Northbrook, Rewa, Rohilla, Somalia, Somaria, Somersetshire, Yorkshire and Zealandia... In addition even world famous Liners such as the Mauretania and Olympic were used in this role, as indeed were the two Cunard Queens during World War 2 and more recently the Canberra during the Falklands War. I have photographs or pictures of all of the Troopships I have mentioned and I show a handful here: 1. HMT Asturias. 2. HMT Lancashire. 3. HMT Neuralia. 4. RIMT Northbrook - used as a Royal Indian Marine Troopship - many Indian Divisions served with distinction during WW1. 5. HMT Aquitania - as mentioned in Annies post.
You must have some database .... thats terrific !! ........ I think these are all I have left Cally !! ..... Ormonde - The Ormonde was being built when the First World War started and her completion was delayed because the ship builders were needed by the British Navy. In early 1917 there was a great need for troop ships and work started again on the Ormonde. She was completed in November and taken over by the Navy. After a short service she was returned to P&O in 1919. Orontes - The Orontes was taken over by the government in 1916 as a troop ship and held this job until the end of the war. In the year after the war she was used to take Australian and South African troops home from England. Orsova - Requisitioned as a troop ship in April 1915, Orsova carried Australian reinforcements to Egypt and Europe. In March she was hit by a torpedo in the English channel, luckily her captain was able to beach her at Plymouth. After a long wait she was repaired and was used to carry troops over from America. The Orsova was transferred to the Australian route for the last three months of the war. Otranto - On the 1st August 1914 the Otranto was requested to become hospital ship but in the end became an armed merchant cruiser. On the 31st October 1914 she confronted Admiral von Spee's powerful fleet of German cruisers and two of the three ships with her, Good Hope and the Monmouth, sank but luckily she and the Glasgow escaped. She was then used for troop transport between Liverpool to New York. In October 1918 the Otranto was heading for Scotland with her convoy when she collided with the Kashmir. Some of the people on board were rescued by the Mounsey but she then ran aground and broke in half. Only a hand full of men survived out of the 400 which were still onboard. This was one of the worst misfortunes in the last few weeks of the war. Annie
I lied .... one more .......... SS Omrah was an ocean liner for the Orient Steam Navigation Company built in 1899 for passenger service between the United Kingdom and Australia. She was requisitioned by the Australian Government at the outbreak of WW1 was taken over for use as a troopship. Work on her was completed in mid-September 1914. She carried troops to Colombo and then 40 prisoners to Egypt before being discharged from service in February 1915. Two years later she was again used for troop transport bringing troops from Australia to England. On 12 May 1918, 40 miles SW of Cape Spartivento in Sardinia, while headed from Marseilles to Alexandria, Omrah was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine UB-52 One person aboard Omrah died in the attack. From the 'Dictionary of Disasters at Sea 1824-1962' OMRAH Orient Steam Navigation Co.; 1899; Fairfield Co.; 8,130 tons; 490-7x56-7x26; 9,000i.h.p.; 17 knots; triple-expansion engines. The liner Omrah was taken over by the Admiralty for service in the First World War. On May 1st, 1918, she left Alexandria for Marseilles in company with six other transports carrying units of the 52nd and 74th Divisions. The Omrah was torpedoed and sunk on May 12th by UB52 40 miles S.W. 3/4S. of Cape Spartiyento, on her return voyage from Marseilles, with small loss of life. Annie
Smashing pictures !! .... I think I must have been a sailor in a past life or something ... because I love ships ... especially old ones !!
Annie you are quite right about SS Canada and the Boer War where she served as a troop transport - a mere 4 years after her launch in 1896. In this role she also continued for part of World War One. In August 1914, she was used to transport badly needed troops from Canada to England. Upon her arrival there, she was used as an accommodation ship for German prisoners for the rest of the year. From 1915 until the end of World War I, she was used as a transport ship. She finally met her end at the scrappers torch some time during 1926.
ss CANADA official number 106806 built in 1896 for British & N Atlantic S.N.Co Ltd (Richards, Mills) Broken up in Genoa 29.9.26 Regards Hugh
USS Covington Hamburg-America Line Ship, Cincinnati built for the Hamburg America Line by Schichau Ship Yards in Danzig, Germany in 1909. She was 603 feet long and 63 feet wide. Cincinnati displaced 16,339 tons and her quadruple expansion steam engines powered twin screws at 15.5 knots. She could carry 2,827 passengers (246 First Class, 332 Second Class, 448 Third Class and 1,801 in Steerage). In August of 1914 when the hostilities began in Europe the German Liner took refuge in U.S. waters and was seized at Boston Massachusetts. Later she was turned over to the US Navy in April 1917 and was renamed Covington and placed in commission in late July of 1917 under the command of Captain R. D. Hasbrouck. The newly named Covington was repaired from the damages caused by her German crew and was transformed into a troopship and began her active war duties in mid-October 1917 when she left port for her first voyage carrying U.S. troops to France. The Covington made 6 trips to France carrying 858 Officers and 20,871 enlisted men to the War in Europe. http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cacunithistories/USS_Covington.htm
I thought this list might be useful to the thread. From: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/Transports.html Lists of Australian Transports/Troopships WW1 in two parts. Transports HMAT Wandila Troop Transports Troop transports were requisitioned by the Commonwealth government for the purpose of transporting the AIF overseas but in addition to carrying troops, horses and military stores they also carried wool, metals, meat, flour and other foodstuffs, mainly for Britain and France. The fleet consisted mainly of British steamers and a few captured enemy ships. A 1. HMAT Hymettus 4,606.tons. 11.5 knots. British India SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 15 May 1917 A 2. HMAT Geelong 7,851.tons. 12 knots. P&O SN Co London Collided with SS Bonvilston in the Mediterranean and sunk 1 January 1916 A 3. HMAT Orvietto 12,130.tons. 15 knots. Orient SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 29 December 1914 A 4. HMAT Pera 7,635.tons. 11 knots. P&O SN Co London Commonwealth control ended 6 January 1917. Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 19 October 1917 A 5. HMAT Omrah 8,130.tons. 15 knots. Orient SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 10 February 1915. Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 12 May 1918 A 6. HMAT Clan Maccorquodale 5121.tons. 15 knots. Cayser, Irvin and Co. Glasgow Commonwealth control ended 14 April 1915. Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 17 November 1917 A 7. HMAT Medic 12,032.tons. 13 knots. Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 26 October 1917 A 8. HMAT Argyllshire 10,392.tons. 14 knots. The Scottish Shire Line Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 24 January 1918 A 9. HMAT Shropshire 8,130.tons. 15 knots. Federal SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 5 August 1917 A 10. HMAT Karroo 6,127.tons. 12 knots. Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 3 January 1917. A 11. HMAT Ascanius 10,048.tons. 13 knots. Ocean SS Co Ltd Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 30 July 1917 A 12. HMAT Saldanha 4,594.tons. 11 knots.Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 14 June 1917. Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 18 March 1918 A 13. HMAT Katuna 4,641.tons. 11 knots.Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 10 February 1917. A 14. HMAT Euripides 15,050.tons. 15 knots.G Thompson & Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 2 June 1917. A 15. HMAT Star of England (later renamed Port Sydney) 9,136.tons. 13.5 knots.Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 22 September 1917. A 16. HMAT Star of Victoria (later renamed Port Melbourne) 9,152.tons. 13.5 knots.Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 2 October 1917. A 17. HMAT Port Lincoln 7,243.tons. 12 knots.Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 26 September 1917. A 18. HMAT Wiltshire 10,390 tons. 13.5 knots.Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 2 October 1917. A 19. HMAT Afric 11,999 tons. 13 knots.Federal SN Co Ltd London Torpedoed and sunk in the English Chanel 12 February 1917 A 20. HMAT Hororata 9,400 tons. 14 knots. New Zealand Shipping Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 11 September 1917. A 21. HMAT Marere 6443 tons. 12.5 knots. Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd London Sunk by submarine gunfire in the Mediterranean 18 January 1916. A 22. HMAT Rangatira 8948 tons. 14 knots. Shaw, Savill and Albion Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 15 February 1915. Stranded off Cape of Good Hope 31 March 1916. A 23. HMAT Suffolk 7573 tons. 12 knots. Potter, Trinder and Gwyn London Commonwealth control ended 14 June 1917. A 24. HMAT Benalla 11,118 tons. 14 knots. P & O SN Co London Commonwealth control ended 6 August 1917. A 25. HMAT Anglo-Egyptian 7,379 tons. 14 knots. Nitrate Producers SS Co London Commonwealth control ended 16 April 1917. A 26. HMAT Armadale 6,153 tons. 11 knots. Australind SS Co London Commonwealth control ended 7 June1917. Torpedoed and sunk by submarine off coast of Ireland 27 June 1917. A 27. HMAT Southern 4,769 tons. 10.5 knots. Central Shipping Co London Commonwealth control ended 3 February 1915 A 28. HMAT Miltiades 7,814 tons. 13 knots.G Thompson & Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 15 September1917. A 29. HMAT Suevic 12,531 tons. 13 knots.Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 9 September1917. A 30. HMAT Borda 11,136 tons. 14 knots.P & O SN Co London Commonwealth control ended 10 September1917. A 31. HMAT Ajana 7,759 tons. 13 knots.Australind SS Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 12 May 1917. A 32. HMAT Themistocles 11,231 tons. 15 knots.G Thompson & Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 20 October1917. A 33. HMAT Ayrshire 7,763 tons. 13 knots.The Scottish Shire Line Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 9 January 1918 A 34. HMAT Persic 12,042 tons. 13 knots.Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 8 November1917. A 35. HMAT Berrima 11,137 tons. 14 knots. P & O SN Co London Commonwealth control ended 10 October1917. A 36. HMAT Boonah (ex-enemy Melbourne) 5,926 tons. 10.5 knots. Manned by Australia officers and crew. Transferred to Commonwealth Government Line 28 March 1918 A 37. HMAT Barambah (ex-enemy Hobart) 5,923 tons. 10.5 knots. Manned by Australia officers and crew. Transferred to Commonwealth Government Line 23 May1918 A 38. HMAT Ulysses 14,499 tons. 14 knots. China Mutual SN Co London Commonwealth control ended 15 August1917. A 39. HMAT Port MacQuarie 7,236 tons. 12.5 knots. Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 13 January 1917. A 40. HMAT Ceramic 18,481 tons. 15 knots. Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 9 July 1917. A 41. HMAT Bakara (ex-enemy Constaff) 5,930 tons. 10.5 knots. Manned by Australia officers and crew. Transferred to Commonwealth Government Line 1 May1918 A 42. HMAT Boorara (ex-enemy Pfalz) 5,923 tons. 10.5 knots. Manned by Australia officers and crew. Transferred to Commonwealth Government Line 24 June 1919. A 43. HMAT Barunga (ex-enemy Sumatra) 7,484 tons. 11 knots. Manned by Australia officers and crew. Torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in the North Atlantic 15 July 1918 A 44. HMAT Vestalia 5,528 tons. 15 knots. Gow, Harrison & Co, Glasgow Commonwealth control ended 10 March 1917. A 45. HMAT Bulla (ex-enemy Hessen) 5,099 tons. 10.5 knots. Manned by Australia officers and crew. Transferred to Commonwealth Government Line 15 April 1918 A 46. HMAT Clan McGillivray 5,023 tons. 14 knots. Cayser, Irvin and Co. Glasgow Commonwealth control ended 16 August 1917 A 47. HMAT Mashobra 8,174 tons. 12.5 knots. British India SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 21 December 1916. Torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 15 April 1917 A 48. HMAT Seang Bee 5,849 tons. 13 knots. Lim Chin Tsong, Rangoon Commonwealth control ended 12 May 1917 A 49. HMAT Seang Choon 5,807 tons. 12 knots. Lim Chin Tsong, Rangoon Torpedoed and sunk off coast of Ireland 10 July 1917 A 50. HMAT Itonus 5,340 tons. 12 knots. British India SN Co Ltd London Torpedoed and sunk in Mediterranean 20 December 1916 A 51. HMAT Chilka 3,952 tons. 14 knots. British India SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 4 August 1915 A 52. HMAT Surada 5,324 tons. 10 knots. British India SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 4 January 1917. Torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in Mediterranean 2 November 1918 A 53. HMAT Itria 5,318 tons. 10 knots. British India SN Co Ltd London Commonwealth control ended 17 June 1917 A 54. HMAT Runic 12,490 tons. 13 knots. Oceanic SN Co Ltd Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 27 November 1917. A 55. HMAT Kyarra 6,953 tons. 14 knots. AUSN Co Ltd London Manned by Australia officers and crew. Commonwealth control ended 4 January 1918. Torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in the English Channel 26 May 1918 A 56. HMAT Palermo 7,597 tons. 14 knots. P & O SN Co London Commonwealth control ended 10 January 1917. A 57. HMAT Malakuta 7,430 tons. 12 knots. T & J Brocklebank Ltd, Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 24 January 1917. A 58. HMAT Kabinga 4,657 tons. 12 knots. Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co Ltd London Captured by Emden in Bay of Bengal 12 September 1914 and released. Commonwealth control ended 19 June1917. A 59. HMAT Botanist 7,688 tons. 13 knots. Charente SS Co Ltd, Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 6 December 1916. A 60. HMAT Aeneas 10,049 tons. 14 knots. Ocean SS Co Ltd, Liverpool Commonwealth control ended 22 June 1917.
