HMAT A73 Commonwealth
From Our Contribution
 P & O postcard | |
 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAT A73 Commonwealth |
| Owner | Stewart Steam Ship Co Ltd, Liverpool |
| Builder | Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., Glasgow |
| Yard number | 432 |
| Launched | 23 Aug 1902 |
| Completed | 7 Oct 1902 |
| In service | 1902 |
| Out of service | 1923 |
| Fate | broken up 26 Jul 1923 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger / Cargo Refrigerated |
| Tonnage | 6,611 tons |
| Length | 450.2 ft (137.22m) |
| Beam | 52.2ft (15.91m) |
| Depth | 30.7 ft (9.36m) |
| Propulsion | single screw |
| Speed | 14 knots (25.93 kmph) |
| Capacity | crew 29, 1,200 troops or 75 x 1st class and 70 other passengers |
Contents
Remarks
Built for W. Lund's Blue Anchor Line and used on the Australian run until ownership changed in 1910 to P&O Steam Navigation Co. She was leased by the Commonwealth in 1916, making four trips from Australia to the Middle East as a troop ship. Management was transferred to the British Admiralty on 23 Jun 1917, but she continued to service Australia during 1817 and early 1918.
Soldiers carried
Port Suez to Fremantle 24 January - 2 February 1916
Melbourne to Port Suez 2 November - 10 December 1917
Embarked in Fremantle on 9 November
England to Fremantle 13 April - 4 June 1919
Other Voyages
- 26 November 1915 from Melbourne, Victoria
- 28 March 1916 from Brisbane, Queensland
- 19 September 1916 from Melbourne, Victoria
- 4 April 1917 from Sydney
- 2 March 1918 from Sydney