HMHS Western Australia

[Tonyf]

I've come across a postcard of this ship but can find nothing on its history. Googling has not been of any help. Has it any connection with Australia, apart from its name? Was it used as a hospital ship in WWI?

[spithead]

I've come across a postcard of this ship but can find nothing on its history. Googling has not been of any help. Has it any connection with Australia, apart from its name? Was it used as a hospital ship in WWI?

Hello Tony, a few details

WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Built originally at Trieste for the

Russian Government (and known as the Mongolia), the Western

Australia was bought from a Danish firm by the Government of

Wesrern Australia and employed on the north-west coast of that State.

Owing to her unsuitability for this work, she was in July, 1915, sent

to England to be sold, hut on arrival there was taken over by the

Admiralty and converted into a hospital ship, a chartcr being arranged

for the period of the war. Her Australian officers and crew, who

returned to the Commonwealth, were replaced by Britishers.

A fast ship, she was from that time onwards continuously used

on cross-Channel work, running hetween Southampton and Le Havre

and up the Seine to Rouen. On the 20th of March, 1918 (when, like

the Warilda, serving as an " ambulance-transport " ) she was attackcd

by a submarine, but fortunately the torpedo missed her. At the end

of the war she was sold to foreign owners.

Regards John

[Tonyf]

Thank you Spithead, just the gen I was looking for.

[Bernard_Lewis]

Tony - Capt. John Stanley Strange (14th Welsh) was brought home on this ship after being wounded. If possible I would be delighted to receive a copy of the snap? I'm currently building a section on my website (section not visible yet) based on the 200+ images relating to this officer's service that his family have just provided me. A jpg would be great, if you can help and I can, of course, credit you on the site.

Bernard

[DDP1955]

I've come across a postcard of this ship but can find nothing on its history. Googling has not been of any help. Has it any connection with Australia, apart from its name? Was it used as a hospital ship in WWI?

I also have a relative who was transferred from Rouen to England on this ship in 1917

Dianne

[Guest ukfreddybear]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but my Great Grandfather worked in the stoke hold aboard this vessel during the war. I have a couple of ship photos which I got from Southampton Archives, but they aren't very high res.