Ships

[DCliff]

My grandfather was transported on the ships "Royal George", "SS Derflinger" and the "SS Malwa", any information on these ships welcomed.

[akduerden]

Dave,

Thinks this may help - from Ship List web site...

Royal George1907ex- Heliopolis, 1910 purchased from Egyptian Mail SS Co. and renamed, 1916 transferred to Cunard Line.11,146ROYAL GEORGE / HELIOPOLIS 1907

The ROYAL GEORGE was an 11,146 gross ton ship, built by Fairfield Co Ltd, Glasgow in 1907 as the HELIOPOLIS for the British owned Egyptian Mail Co. Her details were - length 525.8ft x beam 60.2ft, two funnels, two masts, triple screw and a service speed of 19 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 344-1st, 210-2nd and 560-3rd class. Launched on 28th May 1907 she was used on the Marseilles - Alexandria service, but was found to be unprofitable and was laid up in Marseilles in 1909 and offered for sale. In 1910 she was purchased by <A href="http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/cannorthern.html">Canadian Northern Steamships of Toronto and renamed ROYAL GEORGE. Refitted for North Atlantic service, she commenced Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal sailings on 26th May 1910. On 6th Nov.1912 she stranded near Quebec, was refloated and sailed for Halifax for further repairs on 12th Dec. and then proceeded to Liverpool. She resumed Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal voyages on 17th Jun.1913. On 3rd Oct.1914 she sailed from Gaspe Bay for Plymouth with part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was then taken over as a British troopship. The fleet was purchased by Cunard SS Co in 1916, but the ROYAL GEORGE continued trooping for the rest of the war. She resumed passenger voyages on 10th Feb.1919 when she started the first of five Liverpool - Halifax - New York sailings and started her first Southampton - Halifax - New York voyage on 15th Aug.1919. Her ninth and last voyage on this service commenced 10th Jun.1920 and she was then used as an emigrant depot ship at Cherbourg. In 1922 she was scrapped at Wilmhelmshaven. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.4,p.1433] There is an excellent article written by Capt.F.J.Thompson who commanded the "Royal George" from 1911 and through part of the Great War, including the Gallipoli landings; in Sea Breezes magazine, Oct.- Nov.1960 (vol.30, Nos. 178-179). It describes the day to day life of the ship, both as a passenger vessel and as a troopship.

fleet:P&O / Peninsular and Oriental Companyship:Malwa (2)built:1908end:1932summary:1932 scrapped Japan.

MALWA 1908

The MALWA was built in 1908 by Caird & Co, Greenock for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co (P&O Line). She was a 10,883 gross ton ship, length 562ft x beam 61.2ft x depth 24.6ft, two funnels, two masts and twin screw. There was passenger accommodation for 407-1st class and 200-2nd class. Launched on October 10th 1908, she sailed from Tilbury on her maiden voyage for Columbo, Melbourne and Sydney on January 29th 1909. In 1910 she was in collision with the British steamer NAIRN off Columbo, and in 1917 was requisitioned for use as a troopship. She resumed the Australia service on September 24th 1920 and continued on this route until December 16th 1932 when she was sold for breaking up in Japan. [Merchant Fleets, vol.1, P&O, Orient & Blue Anchor Lines by Duncan Haws]

1908 1932 Derfflinger Nord-deutscher Lloyd details

DERFFLINGER 1907 / HUNTSGREEN

was a 9060 gross ton ship, length 463ft x beam 57.7ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 14 knot. Accommodation for 104-1st, 104-2nd and 1,919-3rd class passengers. Built by F. Schichau, Danzig, she was launched on 9th Nov.1907 for North German Lloyd, Bremen and started her maiden voyage from Bremen to New York on 9th May 1908. After this voyage, she was used on the Bremen - Suez - Far East service until 1914 when she was captured by the British at Port Said. Renamed HUNTSGREEN and operated as a troopship, she was re-sold to NGL in 1923 and rebuilt to 9162 gross tons, with accommodation for 290-2nd and 521-3rd class passengers. She resumed Bremen - New York sailings on 20th Sep.1923, and later Bremen - Halifax - Galveston voyages. Her last Bremen - Halifax - Galveston sailing was on 3rd May 1928 and she subsequently returned to the Far East service until 1932 when she was scrapped at Bremerhaven. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2] [Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, by Edwin Drechsel, vol.1]

[DCliff]

Many thanks for that, it's a great help and filled a few gaps in for me.

Regards

Dave

[Guest]

Hello

My Grandfather was transported on the HMT Malwa from the 17th June 1918 to the 21st June 1918. The ship sailed from Alesdandria to Taranto. The ship sailed in convoy and on the 21st at 1215hrs enemy torpedoes were fired at the convoy by an enemy submarine. At the time the convoy was escorted by Japanese destroyers. My grandfather was in the 5th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. They had previously been campaigning in Palestine.