HMAT A70 Ballarat
From Our Contribution
 Company of Master Mariners of Australia from postcard | |
 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAT A70 Ballarat |
| Owner | Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, Greenock |
| Builder | Caird & Company, Scotland |
| Yard number | 318 |
| Launched | 23 Sep 1911 |
| Completed | 1911 |
| In service | 18 Nov 1911 |
| Out of service | 25 Apr 1917 |
| Fate | torpedoed, sank while under tow |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger / cargo |
| Tonnage | 11,120 tons |
| Length | 515 ft (156.07m) |
| Beam | 62 ft 6 in (19.05n) |
| Depth | 42 ft (12.80m) |
| Propulsion | twin screw |
| Speed | 14 knots (25.93 kph) |
Contents
Remarks
Owned by Pacific & Orient Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London and used pre-war to transports emigrant to Australia from the UK. Ballarat initially served as an Indian transport vessel before becoming a troopship, carrying Australian troops. Made four voyages from Australia.
At 2:00pm on 25 Apr 1917, in the English Channel as an Anzac Day service was being held, when she was torpedoed by U-boat UB-32 sinking the next day. This was the 13th voyage undertaken by the Ballarat. Aboard were 1752 men, mostly (1,602) new reinforcements arriving from Australia. None were lost, with all transferred to other ships within an hour. However, the ship sank 15 kilometers south of Lizard Point, Cornwall, just as efforts were being made to tow her into shallow water. She was also carrying copper and bullion.
Soldiers carried
Port Suez to Melbourne 5 July - 6 August 1915
Medical Staff
Patients
Sydney to Plymouth 6 September 1915 - ???
via Melbourne on 9 September
Embarked in Adelaide 14 September
Gibraltar to England 23 - 25 October 1915
Melbourne to Port Suez 18 Feb - 22 March 1916
- Allan Bernard Cann Post WW1 men
Melbourne to Plymouth (sunk near England) 19 February - 25 Apr 1917
Other Journeys
- 5 August 1916 from Sydney, 8 August 1916 from Hobart; 12 August 1916 from Adelaide.