HMS Transport Panoras

[Sijlmans]

Mr Harry Graham Smith a RAMC Captain and doctor died on HMHS Salta in April 1917.

He is buried in Noordwijk, The Netherlands where I live.

I am doing research on WW1 graves in Noordwijk.

The Edinburgh University Roll of Honour says that in August 1914 he was a M.O. on HMS Transport Panoras.

I cannot find this Panoras. Is Panoras misspelled?

There was a hospital ship HMHS Panama which is discussed in another forum on this site.

But Panama does not sound like Panoras.

And why would you call a hospital ship HMS Transport Panoras

There was a HMS Pandora, a depot ship formerly the civilian "Seti".

So who knows HMS Transport Panoras or another ship with a name that sounds like Panoras and that could have had a medical officer?

Mark

[sotonmate]

No answers but just to say that this ship was likely called HM Transport (HMT) P----------- (seems like a mis-spell to me !). You say the guy was an MO on board so could well have been HMT or HMHT.

I have often seen mix-ups in papers where the title is wrong,sometimes it is HMS when it isn't a Royal Navy vessel,sometimes it can be HMHT for Hospital Transport,and my opening title here.

You might be able to get someone here with access to Lloyd's Shipping for 1914 where there might be an entry for the merchant ship Panoras or similar which might tie in having been taken over for war duties.

Also,whether the book "Hospital Ships and Ambulance Trains" (author John H Plumridge) has any ref to this transport might be worth a check,again someone here may have access to that.

[sotonmate]

Looked in Lloyd's Register for 1914 today. No entry for PANORAS. Entry for PANDORA built 1893 in Scotland. 203 NRT and 116 feet length. I would say not of a size to carry a Medical Officer,or even be a Transport.

There was also a PANADERO,built in Holland, 184 NRT length 110 feet,even less likely !

British warships in Janes' Fighting Ships 1914 : PANDORA (Depot Ship) and would likely have had an MO, and PELORUS (Light Cruiser) and likely had an MO).

[seaJane]

Navy List August 1914, correct to late July 1914, has HMS PELORUS at Devonport, to be paid off 7 August 1914, Staff surgeon George E. Hamilton.

Unsurprisingly, come the September 1914 List corrected to late August, PELORUS has not been paid off, and Surgeon Hamilton is still aboard. Scanning through the Navy List on archive.org (I realise Harry Graham Smith is RAMC, but RAMC medics were occasionally borne on RN vessels), I can't see any PANORAS or other likely name.

[Sijlmans]

So the Depot Ship Pandora might be the ship he was on.

Name sounds like Panoras and there could have been a M.O.

But Transport and Depot Ship do not match..

I will contact Edinburgh University perhaps they have more..

[sotonmate]

S

A transport ship at this time was often a Commercial ship taken in use by the military. For instance,on the many voyages into the Eastern Med with troops and stores they were cargo ships with troops on passage to war and these would always have a Medical officer on board,often from among RAMC officers en route to war as well.

I think you are looking for a Transport (HMT) under these conditions.