HMAT A55 Kyarra
From Our Contribution
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAT A55 Kyarra |
| Builder | William Denny & Bros Co Ltd of Dumbarton |
| Launched | 2 Feb 1903 |
| Completed | 1903 |
| Fate | torpedoed and sunk 26 May 1918 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | passenger / cargo ship |
| Tonnage | 6,953 tons |
| Length | 415 ft 5 in (126.62 m) |
| Beam | 52 ft 2 in (15.90 m) |
| Depth | 31 ft 5 in (9.58 m |
| Speed | 15.4 knots (28.52 kph) |
| Capacity | 126 x 1st class; 160 x 2nd class |
Contents
Remarks
Built initially for the Fremantle to Sydney route, and owned by the United Steam Navigation Company Ltd of London she could carry 2,600 tons of general cargo and 286 passengers (126 first class & 160 second class.) She did this for 10 years.
On 6 Nov 1914 she was requisitioned and converted into a hospital ship for transporting Australian hospital units to Egypt. Painted white with a large red cross on either side, she made four trips from Australia in hospital livery.
In March 1915, Kyarra was converted into a troop transport, and made three additional journeys to England with troops before Commonwealth control ceased on 4 Jan 1918 when she was transferred to the British Admiralty. Armed with a 4.7 in (120 mm) gun. On 5 May 1918 while sailing from Tilbury docks, London to Devonport on the south coast of England she was sunk by U-Boat UB-57 near Swanage with a loss of six lives.
Soldiers carried
Brisbane to Alexandria 21 November 1914 - ?? January 1915
- 1st Australian General Hospital Second convoy
Port Tewfik (Suez) to Melbourne 5 February - ?? March 1915
Port Tewfik (Suez) to Melbourne 27 October - 25 December 1917
Other Voyages
- 13 April 1915 from Sydney & 16 April 1915 from Brisbane
- 16 August 1915 from Brisbane
- 3 January 1916 from Brisbane * 5 June 1916 from Sydney
- 3 September 1917 from Sydney & 7 September 1917 from Melbourne
16 August 1915 from Brisbane, Queensland 17 November 1916 from Brisbane, Queensland 17 September 1917 from Freemantle, Perth