HS REWA - postcard and medical / nursing staff photo

[alf mcm]

Ian,

  I have to say that my identification of your father in the photograph is an educated guess, but I don't mind being proved wrong!

 

Regards.

 

Alf McM

[IanESMith]

thanks to you all, its great to have this information and we've learnt a lot about reginald over the last year or so thanks to this forum. I don't think Reg is in this photo, he's got the look of a small Mac truck about him thats easy to spot. But, I could be wrong so don't let me influence you. Jane, I'm now 100% convinced that the photo you sent me from 1914 is Reginald, he's the spit of my dad, my brother and me about the same age.....

 

[seaJane]

Hi Ian,

 

Just for completeness' sake and for others to see, here it is.

 

sJ

 

 

Edited 13 August , 2020 by seaJane
Reduced image size

[alf mcm]

After seeing the photo in #28, it must be Lambert who is standing behind Dalton.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[IanESMith]

thanks Jane, since that photo looks just like dad, me and brother mike, we're happy to state we think its reginald. However, in 1914 he's looks a fresh faced happy chap, by 1918 he looked about ten years older, we can assume it was not an easy gig. will try to dig out a photo of dad to show the family resemblance....

[Madmeg]

On 06/08/2020 at 07:28, seaJane said:

Hi Meg,

Just to let you know, I have gone back to my files and REWA is No.5 - No.4 is PLASSY.

sJ

 

Here's the list:

SOUDAN No.1

GARTH CASTLE No.2

DRINA No.3

PLASSY No.4

REWA No.5

CHINA No.6

DELTA (HK) No.7

GRANTALA (AUS) No.8

ALBION No.9

LIBERTY No.10

SHEELAH No.11

PRINCE GEORGE No.12 (CAN)

AGADIR No.13

MAGIC No.14

QUEEN ALEXANDRA No.15

SOMALI No.16

KARAPARA No.17

BERBICE No.18

ST MARGARET OF SCOTLAND 19

 

obviously mislabelled in the online photos I found

[MerchantOldSalt]

19 minutes ago, Madmeg said:

obviously mislabelled in the online photos I found

Probably not, the REWA served as a troopship, from  around July 1905, as did several other British India SNCo. ships over the years.  The photos you have found online are of her prior to WW1 carrying at varying times the pennant numbers 1 & 4, notice that in these photos she carries a much narrower line around her hull, which was blue. As a hospital ship the line would have been broader and green interspaced with red crosses.

Tony

[seaJane]

Useful explanation, Tony - thank you.

[Lawryleslie]

The photo of the Rewa looks very similar to HMHS Soudan which also operated between the Eastern Med and Malta during the Gallipoli campaign,.

 

 

[seaJane]

13 minutes ago, Lawryleslie said:

The photo of the Rewa looks very similar to HMHS Soudan which also operated between the Eastern Med and Malta during the Gallipoli campaign,.

 

 

 

As would be expected from the paint job (and possibly the class, I can't recall if they came out of the same line). REWA is identified by the No.5, SOUDAN by the No.1, visible just for'ard of the Red Cross near the bow.

 

 

Edited 25 August , 2020 by seaJane
added information

[Lawryleslie]

8 hours ago, seaJane said:

 

As would be expected from the paint job (and possibly the class, I can't recall if they came out of the same line). REWA is identified by the No.5, SOUDAN by the No.1, visible just for'ard of the Red Cross near the bow.

 

 

I hadn’t spotted the numbering difference. Thanks. They certainly look the same class of ship.

[MerchantOldSalt]

The REWA was built in 1905 by Denny's of Dumbarton one of two sister ships, the other was ROHILLA, for British India Steam Navigation Co. both were used as troopships before the war.

The SOUDAN was one of five sisterships  built for the P&O Line at various yards, SOUDAN by Caird and Co of Greenock was also used for trooping.

They were typical of what was known as Intermediate or Cargo/Passenger ships of the time and were of a similar length but unalike when built, but on conversion to a trooper, or more probasbly a hospital ship SOUDAN had some major changes made her well decks being mostly filled in to provide more accommodation space so making her look more like the REWA.

So not the same class, but I wouldn't take issue with you for thinking that!

 

Tony

[seaJane]

Thanks Tony,

 

I thought REWA had a sister ship somewhere even if not SOUDAN - good to have the information.

 

Thanks very much.

 

seaJane

[Lawryleslie]

On 25/08/2020 at 22:05, seaJane said:

21 hours ago, MerchantOldSalt said:

The REWA was built in 1905 by Denny's of Dumbarton one of two sister ships, the other was ROHILLA, for British India Steam Navigation Co. both were used as troopships before the war.

The SOUDAN was one of five sisterships  built for the P&O Line at various yards, SOUDAN by Caird and Co of Greenock was also used for trooping.

They were typical of what was known as Intermediate or Cargo/Passenger ships of the time and were of a similar length but unalike when built, but on conversion to a trooper, or more probasbly a hospital ship SOUDAN had some major changes made her well decks being mostly filled in to provide more accommodation space so making her look more like the REWA.

So not the same class, but I wouldn't take issue with you for thinking that!

 

Tony

Thanks for clarification Tony. I had already noticed that the bridge structure of Soudan was further aft than the Rewa giving the Soudan a slightly longer foredeck/foc'sle. 

 

Edited 27 August , 2020 by Lawryleslie

[Stevend]

Hello I have just come across this discussion

I have just purchased the victory medal of Annie Margaret Logan she is the one seated behind the sister in front.

I have two pages of her service papers which I am just reading through and it mentions that she was on the Rewa

[alf mcm]

Thanks Stevend,

  This means that Alice Louise Holyoak is the nurse standing behind her.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

[Stevend]

Hello I have just come across this discussion

I have just purchased the victory medal of Annie Margaret Logan she is the one seated behind the sister in front.

I have two pages of her service papers which I am just reading through and it mentions that she was on the Rewa

Sorry sent same message again by mistake.. 

 

I would like to ask where would she have served  I was looking at dates and was she in the Mediterranean  area

[seaJane]

@StevendI have consulted my colleagues who curate the QARNNS archive, and they are going to look up Annie Margaret Logan's service as soon as they can. They would be very happy to have copies of any documentation that comes with the medals, as I don't believe they have her service papers; but they do have details of her postings.

 

REWA was certainly backwards and forwards from Plymouth to Gallipoli via Alexandria and Malta from June-September 1915. When she was torpedoed off Hartland Point in North Devon in February 1918 she was homeward bound from Malta.

[alf mcm]

Annie Margaret Logan's QARNNSR records included in ADM/104/162, on numbered pages 3, 100 & 129. They can be downloaded here https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6003172   {free if you register}.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

Edited 25 January , 2021 by alf mcm

[Stevend]

Thank you alf I've just done that.

 

[seaJane]

Thanks @alf mcm, same here and will send them on.

[ZeZe]

Hi

Here’s a time line of periods of duty on board “Rewa” 1915 – 1916 for the medical staff, being interested in hospital ships at Gallipoli. (it’s as accurate as I can make it, but please correct me if you spot an error)

With regard to the nurses in the group photo, I think small correction may be required.

‘Sister Hilda F. Chibnall, 10th September 1915 discharged f. Rewa to Plymouth Hospital’ [TNA ADM 104/162 p.48].

The most likely 4th Sister in the group photo is Geraldine Mace who was replaced by Marjorie Turner. I agree the photo was probably taken over the Christmas 1916 period when the ship was in dock (maybe at Plymouth?).

[alf mcm]

Hello Ze Ze,

  Welcome to the forum. Your chart is extremely interesting.

it seems that the only time the 2 Fleet Surgeons were together was on 20th December. This means the nurses were Holyoak, Logan, Bates and Mace. The only problem is that none of them were awarded the R.R.C. or A.R.R.C., as Miss Chibnall was. Could she have returned for the day to see her old boss leave the Rewa? Could a fifth nurse have taken the photograph?

It certainly is an interesting photograph.

Regards,

Alf McM

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf McM,

I have prepared a rather long post on the subject of awards to the four Sisters Chibnall, Cullen, Marshall & Lockhart.

Is it Ok to post it here?

Thanks ZeZe

[alf mcm]

It should be o.k. I look forward to reading it.

Regards,

Alf McM