GraemeClarke Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 Hi, Ok, I give up. Who, what or where was H.M.S. “Poona” . I can't find anything about it, can anyone help. I'm researching William Henry WILKINS who died of an illness while on demobilisation leave in Walsall on Monday 31 March 1919. The CWGC do not record his death nor is he mentioned in the casualty lists on the web for the R.N. etc. He is buried in Ryecroft Cemetery, Walsall in Grave 35.2.756 and I have his bio but cannot find anything out about Poona. Regards, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verrico2009 Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 All I can find is a place formerly called Poona in India, now Pune. No HMS named after the place that I can see. This from Wiki:- "The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own) was a regular British Indian Army Cavalry regiment. It was formed from the 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry, raised in 1820, and the Poona Auxiliary Horse, raised about 1817-18. The latter unit was absorbed into the regular forces about 1860 and the two regiments later became the 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry and the 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse. These were amalgamated in 1921 into the present regiment, the battle honours of which tell of service in three Afghan Wars, in Persia, Abyssinia and China, as well as in the Great War. Previously it was a cavalry regiment and now it is upgraded as a mechanized regiment." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poona_Horse Could it refer to the troops on board, perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 There was a requisitioned trawler named HMT Poonah Admiralty No 530, Port No H 737 ( Hull), 171 tons launched 1903, Mine Sweeper armed with 1 x 3 pounder gun. requisitioned November 1914 and sunk in collision near Stromness in Orkney 18th August 1915. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 Hi, Here is a casualty associated with Poona - could your man have been stationed there? CWGC Link There was a requisitioned Hull trawler named Poonah - lost 1915 and a trawler 'Basset' class (RIN) named Poona 1942-1946 Cheers, Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 20 February , 2010 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Hi all, Mmm, strange. Many thanks for your effiorts, much appreciated. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 I assume it couldn't have been SS CITY OF Poona? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 20 February , 2010 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Hi Kevin, Thanks for the reply. I dont think so, 'googling' it suggests it was wrecked before the war. Unfortunately I cannot now recall where I got the information from re Poona (most probably from the index cards to the RoH) and they tend to be unreliable at the best of times. Thanks for the input, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melliget Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Perhaps there was more than one City of Poona. The Times, Thursday, Mar 27, 1919 DEPARTURE OF DOMINION TROOPS Australian troops will embark at Southampton to- morrow in the City of Poona. General Sir William Birdwood will, it is expected, be present. The Union- Castle boat Cawdor Castle will leave with South African troops on Saturday. Possibly this ship: http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID=448595 The NAA has some docs on this ship though not online, e.g. CITY OF POONA: March-May 1919 War Diary - Original There was also a Cunard ship named Poona. regards, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 There was also the Clyde built S.S. Poona damaged by a mine in the English Channel, Dec. 1916. Photo and history here: LINK Cheers, Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 SS City of Poona launched in 1912, operated by Ellerman Line / City Line http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/ellerman4.htm There are passenger lists indexed for her on the UK National Archives catalogue. What service did WILKINS belong to? If he was a merchant seaman it is unlikely that he would appear on CWGC in the circumstances you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 20 February , 2010 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Terry, You are a genius, thats the one. The RN placed gunners aboard such vessels and I am sure this is what happened to my man. Fantastic, much appreciated. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Hi, Ok, I give up. Who, what or where was H.M.S. “Poona” . I can't find anything about it, can anyone help. I There has been an HMIS Poona - a Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 If he was indeed DAMS crew, then he may not have been RN. RMLI and RMA also manned guns in DAMS. Here is one RMLI possibility:- Portsmouth/16795; WILKINS, WH; Enlisted 10/03/1913; Discharged INVALIDED; D.o.b. 31/08/1894; P.o.b. BALLYGALLY, CO ANTRIM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 There has been an HMIS Poona - a Corvette During which war? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Have you checked on this man: Name Wilkins, William Henry Official Number: 190749 Place of Birth: Landport, Hampshire Date of Birth: 09 May 1879 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 20 February , 2010 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Hi Thanks to all for their input on this one. I'm sure Terry has hit the nail on the head. I know from the papers that he served as a gunner and the index cards to the roll stated it was H.M.S. Poona. I have a feeling he was in the Merchant Navy, not the Royal Navy as was indicated on the index card. One again, thanks to all, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 You could try the Mercantile Marine Medal index cards to see if he claimed (BT351 on microfiche at Kew) and the register of seamen as he was alive to 1919 his record might have survived. Research guide Merchant Seamen: Sea Service Records 1913-1972 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...?sLeafletID=128 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g6yfb Posted 28 January , 2012 Share Posted 28 January , 2012 You might want to check this link http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishBVLSAlphaA.htm it gives all the ships sunk between dates 1914 - 1915, it says that Poona, steamship, attacked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 12 February , 2016 Share Posted 12 February , 2016 City of Poona was built in 1912 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Ltd., Newcastle for the Ellerman Lines, Ltd. She was a large steamer for her day — 7,467 grt — and had passenger accommodations. Since virtually all steamers were armed by 1918, I would have to presume City of Poona was defensively-armed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne Posted 10 January , 2023 Share Posted 10 January , 2023 On 20/02/2010 at 05:59, GraemeClarke said: Hi, Ok, I give up. Who, what or where was H.M.S. “Poona” . I can't find anything about it, can anyone help. I'm researching William Henry WILKINS who died of an illness while on demobilisation leave in Walsall on Monday 31 March 1919. The CWGC do not record his death nor is he mentioned in the casualty lists on the web for the R.N. etc. He is buried in Ryecroft Cemetery, Walsall in Grave 35.2.756 and I have his bio but cannot find anything out about Poona. Regards, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne Posted 10 January , 2023 Share Posted 10 January , 2023 I found this article last evening. Yesterday I discovered my grandfather, William Arthur Kilgannon, was serving on that ship in 1919 and was returning troops to Australia, including his brother John. I just googled Poona (this was one of the sites that came up, and I signed up to reply to you. I too was having difficulty finding his Merchant Navy Service, but it seems to be coming together. There are quite a few articles - also google City of Poona as it was previously. I even found a photo of the ship........perhaps leave of the HMS. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne Posted 10 January , 2023 Share Posted 10 January , 2023 On 20/02/2010 at 23:54, melliget said: Perhaps there was more than one City of Poona. The Times, Thursday, Mar 27, 1919 DEPARTURE OF DOMINION TROOPS Australian troops will embark at Southampton to- morrow in the City of Poona. General Sir William Birdwood will, it is expected, be present. The Union- Castle boat Cawdor Castle will leave with South African troops on Saturday. Possibly this ship: http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID=448595 The NAA has some docs on this ship though not online, e.g. CITY OF POONA: March-May 1919 War Diary - Original There was also a Cunard ship named Poona. regards, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne Posted 10 January , 2023 Share Posted 10 January , 2023 This is an interesting article https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/city-of-poona-ship-colonial-pune-tragedy-8329477/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Gough Posted 5 March Share Posted 5 March As far as I know it was the SS City of Poona and not HMS, I have a typed record from my great uncle who served on this at the end of the war taking German prisoners back to Germany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizmeRD Posted 5 March Share Posted 5 March https://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/C-Ships/cityofpoona1912.html MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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