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Archiver > MARINERS > 2002-01 > 1011783907


From: "Ted Finch" <>
Subject: Re: [Mar] SS Captain Hobson
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 11:05:07 -0000
References: <001101c1a3a2$d45d5380$327187d9@d4f5p9>


Hi Tom,

A ship with an interesting history!

AMARAPOORA / CAPTAIN HOBSON
8,084 gross tons, length 465.8ft x beam 59.3ft, one funnel, two masts.
single screw, speed 13 knots, accommodation for 150-1st class passengers and
a crew of 142.
Built by Wm.Denny & Bros, Dumbarton for P. Henderson & Co. as the
AMARAPOORA for the Burma trade, she was delivered on 13th July 1920. In 1935
she was refurbished and accommodation reduced to 124 passengers. Taken over
by the Royal Navy in Sep.1939, she was converted to a hospital ship with 503
beds, 103 medical staff and 121 crew and became HMHS AMARAPOORA. For the
next three years she became the base hospital ship off St.Margaret's Hope,
Scapa Flow, made trips to the Clyde for supplies and carried the sick to
Glasgow hospitals. In Apr.1940 she was used in the evacuation from Norway
and carried a total of 3,063 patients. Oct.1942 took part in Operation
Torch, the invasion of North Africa and made several voyages to the UK with
wounded. Sep.1943 present at the Salerno landings and was one of the three
hospital ships attacked from the air and withdrew to Bizerta. Nov.1943
returned to the Clyde for overhaul and fitted with another 100 beds.
Jan.1944 returned to the Mediterranean in support of various campaigns and
in June was sent to the Tyne for conversion into a Far East Hospital Ship.
She was then sent to Trincomalee as a base hospital and then served between
Burma - Madras and after the surrender of Japan, arrived in Singapore ahead
of the Royal Navy. Paid off by the Royal Navy in Aug.1946 she was taken over
by the Ministry of Transport with P. Henderson & Co as managers and was used
for various duties. (French nationals from Saigon to Toulon, Dutch from
Indonesia to Holland and also carried pilgrims from the Levant to Jeddah
during the pilgrimage season.) She also spent some time repatriating German
North African wounded and prisoners of war.
In 1948 she was converted to an 'austerity' emigrant carrier with
accommodation for 617 passengers and chartered to the International Refugee
Organisation with Hendersons as managers. She carried emigrants from Italy
to Australia, brought home Dutch from Indonesia and acted as a troopship for
the North Africa British garrisons in Libya. Sent to Alex Stephens in 1951
for conversion for use on the New Zealand assisted passage scheme with
accommodation for 584 passengers, renamed CAPTAIN HOBSON and used on the
Glasgow - Wellington service. In Aug.1953 she sailed from Wellington for
Hong Kong to pick up garrison troops and for the next two years was used for
trooping to Hong Kong. July 1955 reverted to the New Zealand service.
Aug.-Nov.1956 Used as a troopship during the Suez crisis. June 1957 while on
the New Zealand service she fractured her high pressure cylinder while 500
miles out in the Pacific and arrived at Auckland seven days later in tow of
the PORT MACQUARIE.She was given temporary repairs and returned to the Clyde
for a new cylinder. Her last voyage to New Zealand started on in May 1958
and on arrival in Wellington, she was put up for sale. There were no buyers
so she was moved to Bombay and laid up. Later sold, she arrived at Osaka for
scrapping in March 1959. [Merchant Fleets, vol.29 by Duncan Haws]

regards
Ted

----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Eadie <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 12:13 AM
Subject: [Mar] SS Captain Hobson


> Can anyone help with history and information on the SS Captain Hobson.In
1954 she was employed as a troopship by the MT&CA and managed by P.Henderson
of Glasgow.
> Tom Eadie.
>
>
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