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HMHS Salta

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HMHS Salta
HMT Salta.jpg
Imperial War Museum
HMT Salta 1.jpg
History
Name HMT Salta
Owner Société Générale de Transport Maritime Steam
Builder Société des Forges et Chantiers de la Medirerranée, La Seyne-sur-Mer
Yard number 1048
Launched 13 March 1911
Completed July 1911
In service 1911
Out of service 10 Apr 1917
Fate Sunk by a mine
General characteristics
Type Steam passenger liner
Tonnage 7,728 tons
Length 449.5 ft (137.0m)
Beam 53.2 ft (16.2m)
Propulsion twin screw
Speed 15 knots (27.78 km/h)



Remarks

Built for the Société Générale de Transport Maritime Steam. The Salta was chartered by the British Admiralty in February 1915 and converted into a hospital ship. The former liner was painted white with wide green stripes and the insignia of the Red Cross, according to the terms laid down in the Hague Convention of 1894. She served in the Mediterranean during the Gallipoli campaign before making at least one journey carrying Australian medical staff to France from Egypt.


On 10 Apr 1917 while returning to pick up wounded at the port of Le Havre, France, Salta struck a mine at 11:43, one mile (1.6 km) north of the entrance to the dam. A huge explosion smashed the hull near the stern in the engine room and hold number three. Water rushed into the disabled ship which listed to starboard and sank in less than 10 minutes. Of the 205 passengers and crew members, only 75 survived with nine nurses, 42 member of the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and 79 crew drowned. The British patrol boat HMS P-26 attempted to come alongside to assist, but also struck a mine and sank.

Soldiers carried

Gallipoli to Malta 13 - 17 August 1915

Gallipoli to Mudros 5 September 1915

Mudros to Alexandria 7 - 9 September 1915

Alexandria to Marseilles 29 Mar 1916 - 5 Apr 1916