HMAT A14 Euripides
From Our Contribution
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAT A14 Euripides |
| Owner | 1914: George Thompson & Co Ltd; 1932: Shaw, Savill & Albion Line |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Yard number | 439 |
| Launched | 29 Jan 1914 |
| Completed | 6 Jun 1914 |
| In service | 1 Jul 1914 |
| Out of service | 12 May 1954 |
| Fate | scrapped in Antwerp |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger / cargo steamship (triple screw) |
| Tonnage | 14,947 tons |
| Length | 550.7 ft (167.9m) |
| Beam | 67.4 ft (20.5m) |
| Depth | 44.1 ft (13.4m) |
| Propulsion | 3 screws |
| Speed | 15 knots (28 kph) |
| Capacity | 140 x 1st class; 334 x 3rd class; 750 Steerage. Changed with refits in 1932 & 1945 |
Contents
- 1 Remarks
- 2 Staff
- 3 Soldiers carried
- 3.1 Sydney to Alexandra 20 October - 3 December 1914
- 3.2 Plymouth to Fremantle 24 June - 3 August 1916
- 3.3 Port Suez to Melbourne 22 January - 21 February 1917
- 3.4 Plymouth to Australia 22 July 1917 - 11 September 1917
- 3.5 Sydney to New York 1 May - 14 June 1918
- 3.6 Portland to Fremantle 3 March - 10 April 1919
- 3.7 Other Voyages
Remarks
Built for George Thompson & Co Ltd Glasgow, she was on her maiden voyage to Brisbane when war broke out. Requisitioned on 26 Aug 1914, just two days after her arrival, by the Commonwealth, whose control ended 2 Jun 1917, with management of the Euripides being taken over by the British Admiralty. She was a member of the first convoy from Albany, and she completed seven voyages from Australia with troops. In 1919 she was used to repatriate Australian troops and during the period 1914 - 1919 she carried 38,439 troops to or from the war.
Post war she was overhauled and resumed the Aberdeen Line's London - Australia route, before changing hands several times between the wars. In 1932 she was renamed Akaroa. Euripides/Akaroa had a double bottom for the full length of her hull. Her hull was divided into watertight compartments, so that she could remain afloat if any two were flooded.
During WW2 she was again used as a troopship before another transformation in 1945 back to civilian use before being sent to shipbreakers in Antwerp in May 1954.
Staff
- Euphemia Weir Huntley Scott served as nurse to patients returning to Australia on Oct 1915 voyage.
Soldiers carried
Sydney to Alexandra 20 October - 3 December 1914
Plymouth to Fremantle 24 June - 3 August 1916
- Prime Minister William Morris 'Billy' Hughes - travelled on to Melbourne
- Arthur Charles Cam
- William Edward Clarence Green
Port Suez to Melbourne 22 January - 21 February 1917
- Sidney Tugby
- William Henry Shade disembarked at Fremantle
Plymouth to Australia 22 July 1917 - 11 September 1917
Sydney to New York 1 May - 14 June 1918
Portland to Fremantle 3 March - 10 April 1919
- William Michael Bowman
- Victor Leo Gordon Boyle
- Albert George Bullock
- Arthur Charles Cam
- Joseph Clough
- Gordon Vidgen Cross
- John William King
- William Percy Matthews
- Albert Thomas Myers
- Hartland Wheare Richards
- William Renfrey Thomas from Kantarra 15 March
- Frank Erle Waters
Other Voyages
- 10 May 1915 from Melbourne
- 2 November 1915 from Sydney
- 4 April 1916 from Melbourne
- 9 September 1916 from Sydney & 11 September 1916 from Melbourne
- 31 October 1917 from Sydney