Morea or Dongola

[Bluetow]

My Grandfather served on the SS Dongola which, as far as I can ascertain, served mainly in the Dardenelles but seemed not to have been a recognised HMHS in the official papers. I have an image of the inside of a P&O ship converted to a hospital ship. I am unsure if this is the Dongola or the SS Morea - he served on both ships but only on the Dongola when in commisioned service.

Can anyone give me any details of any activity of the SS (HMHS) Dongola. I have my Grandfathers Discharge books but this is understandably not very detailed. Would love to know more and whether the image is of the Dongola or another ship - possibly the Morea

[Standard Bearer]

Have a postcard of the Dongola which bears a message saying that it was taking the sender to India. Unfortunately, it was posted in Port Said and the date is in Arabic so I am unable to work it out. However, the address of the recipient suggests that the postcard was sent shortly before the beginning of the First World War.

A footnote on https://eddieolliffe.wordpress.com/tag/troopship-hmt-dongola/ shows that from 1906 the Dongola was used for seasonal trooping between England, India and Hong Kong and that it was requisitioned and used as a hospital ship in Gallipoli in 1915.

[munce]

I know that in March 1920 HMHS Dongola was in Devonport waiting to move to the Baltic to support British troops in action against the Bolsheviks. I think she never went in the end, and instead was passed back to P&O, making her first voyage as a civilian again in October 1920.

[Bluetow]

I am posting this for the information of anyone else researching HMHS Dongola. I have ascertaned that my Grandfather was on the ship from January 1917 until the Armistice was signed, when she put into Bombay. I have located the war diary, completed by the OiC Medical Corps on board. The diary is not digitised and has to be read at the National Archives under reference WO 95/4143. It was, luckily for me, started at exactly the same time as my Grandfather boarded in January 1917 and continue well past the end of the war

Between January 1917 and November 1918, HMHS Dongola was plying mainly between East Africa and India, conveying injured Indian troops home from the East African campaign. She also made voyages to South Africa; West Africa and to the Middle East and Aden. She spent most of her time, however, in waters around what are now Tanzania and Kenya, then part of German East Africa.

I hope this information assists other enquirers

[Guest]

I have my grandfather's diary from when he served with the 7th Scottish Rifles at Gallipoli, in which amongst other things he recorded his journey home after being wounded. Apparently on Tuesday 13 July 1915, the Dongola left Lemnos at about 7 o’clock for Malta. 

[mebu]

Dongola also running from Poona to Egypt with returning sick, Granddad discharged from hospital (wounded relieving Kut January  1916) at Poona, 4/3/17 embarked Dongola to Suez arriving 10/3/17.

 

Peter

[Guest]

On the centre-fold of an old personal autograph book from our collection under the title S S "Dongola" 1926 there are about 50-signatures from the ship at that time including the Chief Offier and Surgeon, One signature has the date 08/05/26 underneath.

[Keith_history_buff]

I've come across the Dongola for many pre-war regulars that I have researched, whose service records have survived, sailing to or from Karachi between 1906 and 1910.
postcard images of Dongola 

[MKC]

These dates may help you: 

 

Dongola was a military hospital ship from 25 May 1915 to 25 December 1918. It carried the ship code E2601. From 26 Dec 1919 to 21 Feb 1920, the ship was used as an ambulance transport. Returned to owners June 1920. 

 

Morea was a military hospital ship from 8 Oct 1915 to 28 March 1916. It became an Armed Merchant Cruiser in April 1917. 

 

Mike