HMAT A50 Itonus
From Our Contribution
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File:File:HMAT A50 Itonus 1.jpg Museums Victoria | |
| History | |
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| Name | HMAT A50 Itonus |
| Owner | British India Steam Ship Co Ltd |
| Builder | Vickers Maxim, Barrow |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 6,538 tons |
| Length | 136.86m |
| Beam | 16.52m |
| Depth | 7.53m |
Contents
Remarks
Originally the SS Anglia built for Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Co Ltd, London. Sold 1907 to Archibald Currie & Co (Currie Line, Melbourne) who converted her into a cargo ship. Name changed to Itonus before Currie was taken over by the British India Steam Ship Co Ltd in 1913.
Requisitioned by the Commonwealth Government. After her first journey to Egypt, she was retained there and used to transport New Zealand troops to Gallipoli landing these troops in the late afternoon of 25 Apr 1915. Used as a Hospital Ship during the duration of the Gallipoli campaign before returning to troop carrying in 1916 (total of three trips as a trooper).
Torpedoed and sunk near Malta in the Mediterranean by Austrian submarine U-38 on 20 Dec 1916 as she was making her way from Marseilles to Sydney with a load of tiles. Five engine room crew members perished, and the Captain was taken prisoner. All other crew escaped in lifeboats.
Soldiers carried
Fremantle to Port Suez 22 February - 24 March 1915
Left Adelaide on 15 February 1915
- Clement Wilder Benporath
- John Blake
- Henry Thomas (Harry) Brear
- Arthur Charles Cam
- † Frederick Lawrence Close
- † John James Emery
- † Charles Maul Glover
- † Fritz Robert Jaentsch
- Bernard O'Reilly Post WW1
- Francis William Singleton
- Edward William Tink
- † Leslie Huon Truman
- † James Winning
Alexandria to Mudross 15 - 18 Jul 1915
- Bernard O'Reilly Post WW1
Port Suez to Fremantle 10 June 1916 - ?? July 1916
Brisbane to Fremantle 8 August - 23 August 1916
Other Journeys
30 December 1915 Brisbane to Egypt 8 August 1916 Brisbane to England