andy1960 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Hi All ...my Dad served on HMHS Amarapoora...hospital ship..... during WW2 ..looking for any information or indeed anyone who served as well. Many Thanks Andrew Biddle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tootles Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Suppose you have all this, but just in case you haven't....... Good photo of the ship at http://libapp.sl.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/spydus/ENQ/PM/FULL1?447860,I AMARAPOORA / CAPTAIN HOBSON 1920 8,084 gross tons, length 465.8ft x beam 59.3ft, single screw, speed 13 knots, accommodation for 150-1st class passengers. Built 1920 by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton for P. Henderson & Co (British & Burmese Steam Navigation Co). Used on the Glasgow - Rangoon service. 1939 requisitioned as a hospital ship with 503 beds and operating theatres. As HMHS AMARAPOORA, she was the base hospital ship at Scapa Flow and made trips to Glasgow to carry the sick to local hospitals. In 1940 she was used in the evacuation from Norway. 1942 Sent to Gibraltar in preparation for the invasion of North Africa and made several trips to the UK with wounded. Sep.1943 involved in the Salerno landings and was subject to air attack. Nov.1942 returned to the Clyde for overhaul and fitted with another 100 beds. Jan.1944 Mediterranean hospital ship. Apr.1944 converted on the Tyne into a Far East hospital ship and fitted with air conditioning. Oct.1944 base hospital ship at Trincomalee. Aug.1946 released by the Navy to the Ministry of Transport, managed by P. Henderson and used on various duties including carrying French nationals from Saigon to Toulon, Dutch nationals from Indonesia to Holland, pilgrims from Levant to Jeddah and German prisoners from North Africa to Germany. 1948 converted to an austerity emigrant carrier with capacity for 617 passengers and chartered to the International Refugee Organisation. Carried emigrants Italy - Australia and returned with Dutch nationals from Indonesia. Also acted as a troopship for the British garrisons in Libya. 1951 refitted by Alex Stephens as an assisted emigrant carrier with accommodation for 584 passengers, renamed CAPTAIN HOBSON and used on the Glasgow - Wellington service. 1953 - 1955 employed trooping to Hong Kong and then reverted to the New Zealand service. 1956 used as troopship during the Suez crisis and then returned to NZ service. June 1957 suffered engine breakdown in the Pacific and towed to Auckland by the PORT MACQUARIE. Temporarily repaired, she sailed to the Clyde at reduced speed and was fitted with a new high pressure cylinder. In May 1958 she made her final voyage to Wellington where she was put up for sale. There was no interest in the old ship, so she sailed to Bombay where she was laid up. In Mar.1959 she was scrapped at Osaka. [Merchant Fleets, vol.29 by Duncan Haws] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 that has to come under the Military ambulance thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hi All ...my Dad served on HMHS Amarapoora...hospital ship..... during WW2 ..looking for any information or indeed anyone who served as well. Many Thanks Andrew Biddle Hi Andy, My Dad also served on this ship. He was on the first Far East voyage as a SBA/Petty Officer from 1944-46. He's still around. I have been looking around various message boards but so far I've not come across anyone else still surviving. I have all sorts of photographs and things. Regards, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1960 Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 Hi Andy, My Dad also served on this ship. He was on the first Far East voyage as a SBA/Petty Officer from 1944-46. He's still around. I have been looking around various message boards but so far I've not come across anyone else still surviving. I have all sorts of photographs and things. Regards, John Hi John..ony just seen your reply.Would be really keen to get in touch .PM sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian M Lucas Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Hi Andy, My Dad also served on this ship. He was on the first Far East voyage as a SBA/Petty Officer from 1944-46. He's still around. I have been looking around various message boards but so far I've not come across anyone else still surviving. I have all sorts of photographs and things. Regards, John My father, Jack (William John) Lucas was also on Amarapoora as a petty officer when it was in the far east from 44 to 46 He is frail but would like to meet an old ship mates if it were possible. He lives in Alton Hampshire Brian Lucas 01983 855406 blucas43@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1960 Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) Brian M Lucas said: My father, Jack (William John) Lucas was also on Amarapoora as a petty officer when it was in the far east from 44 to 46 He is frail but would like to meet an old ship mates if it were possible. He lives in Alton Hampshire Brian Lucas 01983 855406 blucas43@hotmail.com email sent to you Andy B Edited February 3, 2018 by andy1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowTech Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Re: AMARAPOORA as a Hospital Ship Just would like to respond to say that my wife's aunt was a nurse on this ship; in fact her aunt married the Chief Officer (I think that's correct title). I knew her well, but not her husband who died some years before. She was an extremely spirited, fun and resourceful lady. She has also now passed on, but she left her typed 'life-story' which includes a lot about life on board Amarapoora; and that's quite exciting (and revealing...). We have one original framed ship photo in the family although I discovered other info on-line since (including the Cpt. Hobson journeys post-war). We are only recently getting round to transcribing her story to MSWord. I think it should be in the public domain but will need to look into best way of publishing it. I could possibly give you a snippet if relevant to your enquiry. Unfortunately she substituted fictitious names for crew and staff, so I may not be able to identify specific people unless you give identifiable posts and duty dates. She was on board at Scapa Flow dodging the fleet bombings and dealing with injured navy crews in wards and theatre, and as a young nurse had to see some bad outcomes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1960 Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) Re: AMARAPOORA as a Hospital Ship Just would like to respond to say that my wife's aunt was a nurse on this ship; in fact her aunt married the Chief Officer (I think that's correct title). I knew her well, but not her husband who died some years before. She was an extremely spirited, fun and resourceful lady. She has also now passed on, but she left her typed 'life-story' which includes a lot about life on board Amarapoora; and that's quite exciting (and revealing...). We have one original framed ship photo in the family although I discovered other info on-line since (including the Cpt. Hobson journeys post-war). We are only recently getting round to transcribing her story to MSWord. I think it should be in the public domain but will need to look into best way of publishing it. I could possibly give you a snippet if relevant to your enquiry. Unfortunately she substituted fictitious names for crew and staff, so I may not be able to identify specific people unless you give identifiable posts and duty dates. She was on board at Scapa Flow dodging the fleet bombings and dealing with injured navy crews in wards and theatre, and as a young nurse had to see some bad outcomes... Any more news on this ? A copy of the "life story" would give me a flavour of my Dads war as a senior sick berth attendant on this hospital ship! I should have asked him more about it when he was still alive ! Let that be a lesson to anyone who knows a veteran from WW2..try gently to see if they want to pass on some info .. but do not push if they don't. Many Thanks Andy B Edited December 24, 2016 by andy1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowTech Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Any more news on this ? A copy of the "life story" would give me a flavour of my Dads war as a senior sick berth attendant on this hospital ship! I should have asked him more about it when he was still alive ! Let that be a lesson to anyone who knows a veteran from WW2..try gently to see if they want to pass on some info .. but do not push if they don't. Many Thanks Andy B Hi andy1960 - if it's possible I'll PM you with a response to this one. We have the 'life story' document transcribed and one chapter is particularly relevant to this post. many thanks for contacting - sorry for delay. :-) Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1960 Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 Hi andy1960 - if it's possible I'll PM you with a response to this one. We have the 'life story' document transcribed and one chapter is particularly relevant to this post. many thanks for contacting - sorry for delay. :-) Colin Hi Colin I have sent you an email. Thanks Again Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma F. Posted June 5, 2021 Share Posted June 5, 2021 I wanted to add... my grandfather Derek Brown Kelly was an ENT surgeon on the Amapoora . I do have a photo of hime with the rest of the Navy doctors ! If anyone wants me to email them a copy let me know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Froude Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 My father served on board for the duration of the war as Pay Lieutenant John H Froude, working in accounts and pay. He was from Head Office of P Henderson & Co in Bothwell Street Glasgow before that. On board he met Dorothy Hall, a nursing sister with the formidable QARNNSR (Queen Alexandra). I remember them talking together about characters on the ship and one very familiar name was "Brown Kelly" How wonderful it was to see that. Thank you Emma. Tales of Scapa Flow and the rest much cherished now. Like so many I now wish I had asked more questions. Ken Froude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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