HMAT A49 Seang Choon
From Our Contribution
 State Library of NSW a639566 | |
 Brisbane c1915 Awm h02243 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAT A49 Seang Choon |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Launched | 6 Jun 1891 |
| Completed | 3 Sep 1891 |
| Fate | torpedoed 10 Jul 1917 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger ship |
| Tonnage | 5,807 tons |
| Length | 445 ft (135.6m) |
| Beam | 49 ft (14.9m) |
| Depth | 9.1m |
| Speed | 12 knots (22kmph) |
Contents
Remarks
She was launched on 6th June 1891 as the Cheshire and when delivered on 3rd September the Bibby Steamship Company service to Burma became monthly.
In 1900 she was requisitioned as a troopship for use during the Boer War. In 1911 she was replaced by the Gloucestershire and was sold to Lim Chin Tsong of Rangoon who renamed her Seang Choon. Requisitioned in 1915 as a troopship, she made one trip with troops to Egypt before becoming a hospital ship involved with the Dardanelles campaign and then between India and the UK. Made two additional voyages from Australia as a troop ship in 1916.
During a voyage from Sydney, NSW to Liverpool via Dakar with a general cargo, she was torpedoed by U-87 ten miles southwest of Fastnet with the loss of 19 lives. Carried as part of her general cargo, 400 tons of copper and 601 tons of lead.