Difference between revisions of "HMAT A38 Ulysses"

HMAT A38 Ulysses
	Troops waiting to embark, HMAT Ulysses AWM P08286.011
History
Name	HMAT A38 Ulysses
Owner	China Mutual Steam Navigation Co, of London,
Builder	Workman Clark, Belfast
Yard number	319
Launched	5 Jul 1913
Completed	1913
In service	22 Oct 1913
Out of service	11 Apr 1942
Fate	torpedoed and sunk by U-160
General characteristics
Type	Armed merchant ship
Tonnage	14,449 tons
Length	176.8m
Beam	20.8m
Depth	12.3m
Propulsion	twin screw
Speed	13.5 knots (25 Kph)
Capacity	Crew 195; 95 passengers
	v; t; e;

Latest revision as of 20:45, 26 August 2023

Remarks

Built for China Mutual Steam Navigation Co, of London, leased by the Commonwealth until 15 Aug 1917. Made six trips from Australia. In addition to carrying troops, along with the other transports she carried general goods to the UK. On 15 Aug 1917 management was passed to the British Admiralty. She was then used to transfer US troops across the Atlantic, before resuming commercial service in 1920. At the time of her sinking she was owned by Alfred Holt & Co., Liverpool

She was an important part of the Blue Funnel fleet with the Commodore Captain R D Owen in command. In 1942 she escaped from Hong Kong prior to the arrival of the Japanese, sailing to Singapore and then Australia where she loaded a cargo for Liverpool via the Panama Canal. On 8 April 1942 she collided with a vessel causing some bow damage, causing her to head for Newport News for repairs.

On 11th April, 45 miles south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, at 10:31pm the unescorted Ulysses was hit in the stern by a torpedo from U-160 and then in the engine room by a torpedo at 10:53pm. While the crew abandoned ship, the U-boat moved to the side and at 11:27pm fired another torpedo that hit amidships and caused the ship to sink within 30 minutes, but this was not observed by the Germans because a flying boat was now circling the area. The master, 189 crew members, five gunners and 95 passengers were picked up by USS Manley and landed at Charleston, South Carolina.

Soldiers carried

Embarked in Fremantle on 2 November

Lemnos to Alexandria 20 - 22 December 1915

Alexandria to Fremantle 3 January - 5 February 1916

Frederick Hobbs

Sydney to Alexandria 20 February - 25 April 1916

Fremantle passengers boarded 1 Apr 1916

† Gilbert Henry Balinswella
James Smith Dean
Thomas William Dowell
Herbert Fuhrmann
John Wilfred Gargett
William Harwood
John Henry Holroyd
James Lawrence McKenna
Henry Joseph Milne
William George Munday boarded in Sydney
Edward Price
Robert Lauden Rayner
Cyril Augustest Tonkin
William Harrington Edward Watson boarded in Melbourne on 20 Feb 1916

Melbourne to Plymouth 25 October - 28 December 1916

Charles Henry Robinson

England to Fremantle 13 February - 12 April 1917

England to Fremantle 10 September - 4 November 1917

Port Said, Egypt to Fremantle 15 February - 11 March 1918

Edward James (Ted) Rouse

Devonport to Fremantle 18 January 1919 - 24 February 1919

Eugene Anthony Gillespie Sick to Gibraltar Hospital 23 Jan 1918
Frederick George Golding
Samuel Arthur Vincent
Aubrey Jesse Whittington MM

England to Melbourne 22 July 1919 - 30 Aug 1919

Frederick James Allison MM

Other Voyages

22 December 1914 from Melbourne
19 December 1917 from Sydney

@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 ===Sydney to Alexandria 20 February - 25 April 1916===
-Fremantle passengers boarded 1 Apr 1915
+Fremantle passengers boarded 1 Apr 1916
+* † [[Gilbert Henry Balinswella]]
 * [[James Smith Dean]]
 * [[Thomas William Dowell]]