Ships Olympia and Novara

[TTracer44]

Looking for images of these two ships, according to Coldstream Guards 1914-1918 by ( Sir John Ross of Bladensburg) the Olympia and Novara embarked with 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards and Irish Guards 12th August 1914, Googled these and is all I get is the Olympic and an Austrian ship that wasn’t completed until Jan 1915, so no help there, any help greatly appreciated.

Den

[4thGordons]

Maybe this?:

SS Novara (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company Ltd) P&O Line 1912 scrapped 1932, 6875 Tons.

 

Image here

 

Chris

 

[Acknown]

Here's a possibility: 

https://wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/greatwar-day-by-day/viewday.php?day=&mth=August&year= (scroll down to Olympia),

and:

http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=9435

The War Diaries of the two battalions might mention the ships, but I can't find them.

Acknown

Edited 27 December , 2018 by Acknown
More information

[TTracer44]

Thanks Chris and Acknown at least you have proved they existed, I couldn’t find any references at all.

Den

[MKC]

TTracer44,

 

These two seem to fit your timeline:

 

Novara built 1912, 6,850 tons, Pacific & Orient, employed as transport 8 August 1914 to 29 August 1914.

Olympia built 1902, 5,138 tons, Anchor Line, employed as troop transport 6 August 1914 to 24 August 1914. 

 

Mike

[JMB1943]

TTracer44,

 

The 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regt. was in the 2nd Brigade, 1st Divn of the BEF and their War Diary recounts (verbatim)

 

12 Aug.   The Bn entrained in two parties from Woking Station to Southampton at 11:30 am and 12:40 pm.

                The first party embarked on S.S. Olympia with half Battalion of Coldstream Guards and General Head Qrs, 

                Intelligence Corps. The boat sailed at 8:20 pm for Havre.

 

Definitely the Olympia, not Olympic.

 

Regards,

JMB

 

[TTracer44]

14 hours ago, MKC said:

TTracer44,

 

These two seem to fit your timeline:

 

Novara built 1912, 6,850 tons, Pacific & Orient, employed as transport 8 August 1914 to 29 August 1914.

Olympia built 1902, 5,138 tons, Anchor Line, employed as troop transport 6 August 1914 to 24 August 1914. 

 

Mike

Thanks Mike, that’s brilliant, from your info it would appear the MOD only employed these ships for a short duration in order to get this large amount of men and equipment over to France and Belgium, then the initial pressure is off.

Den

[TTracer44]

14 hours ago, JMB1943 said:

TTracer44,

 

The 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regt. was in the 2nd Brigade, 1st Divn of the BEF and their War Diary recounts (verbatim)

 

12 Aug.   The Bn entrained in two parties from Woking Station to Southampton at 11:30 am and 12:40 pm.

                The first party embarked on S.S. Olympia with half Battalion of Coldstream Guards and General Head Qrs, 

                Intelligence Corps. The boat sailed at 8:20 pm for Havre.

 

Definitely the Olympia, not Olympic.

 

Regards,

JMB

 

Thanks JMB, that is the sort of snippet that adds those little extra bits of info, ie the sailing time, most appreciated.

Den

 

[58 Div Mule]

Kipling in Vol 1 of 'The History of the Irish Guards in the Great War' tells us that details of 1 Irish Guards left Southampton at 7pm on 12 August 1914 on board the P&O SS Novara.

[TTracer44]

On 29/12/2018 at 14:25, 58 Div Mule said:

Kipling in Vol 1 of 'The History of the Irish Guards in the Great War' tells us that details of 1 Irish Guards left Southampton at 7pm on 12 August 1914 on board the P&O SS Novara.

Thanks for that extra bit of info, so from this and JMB’s snippet on the Olympia can we assume the other half Battalion of Coldstream Guards were on the Novara with the Irish Guards, it would seem to add up. Well what a result from a request for info on two ships, thanks to all who contributed.

Den

Edited 30 December , 2018 by TTracer44
Mistake on spelling of Novara