HS Princesse Elisabeth
From Our Contribution
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HS Princesse Elisabeth |
| Owner | Belgium State Railway |
| Builder | Cockerill's of Hoboken |
| Yard number | 443 |
| Launched | 1905 |
| In service | 11 Sep 1905 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 1,767 tons |
| Length | 114.30m |
| Beam | 12.20m |
| Depth | 7.07m draught 2.90m |
| Propulsion | Tripple screw |
| Speed | 22.25 knots (41.2 kmh) |
| Capacity | 1,100 passengers |
Contents
- 1 Remarks
- 2 Soldiers carried
- 2.1 Boulogne to England 7 April 1917
- 2.2 France to England 15 May 1917
- 2.3 France to England 10 Aug 1917
- 2.4 France to England 20 August 1917
- 2.5 France to England 23 September 1917
- 2.6 France to England 18 October 1917
- 2.7 France to England 17 November 1917
- 2.8 France to England 29 November 1917
- 2.9 France to England 7 April 1918
- 2.10 France to England 23 April 1918
- 2.11 France to England 26 August 1918
- 2.12 Le Havre to England 21 October 1918
Remarks
Owned by the Belgian government, built 1905 and used on the cross channel service from Ostende to England - crossing time was 2 hours 50 minutes.
She was undergoing a refit at the time of the German invasion of Belgium and needed to be towed to London in August 1914. A refit, which included new engines was completed in November 1916 after which she was loaned for use as a 300 berth hospital ship on the cross channel service between 8 November 1916 and April 1917 and again between 11 January 1919 and September 1919. Hired by the British government, like most hospital ships, she was not part of the Royal Navy or army. In all she made 575 journeys transferring wounded from the continet to England, and in return carying reinforcements back to France.
From January until 2 Sep 1919 she assisted with repatriating British troops after which she was handed back to Belgium authorities for a refit. By December 1919 she was again operating as a cross channel ferry. At the end of 1930 she was laid up in Ostend and in 1931 sold for scrap, with breaking up commencing in 1933.
Soldiers carried
Boulogne to England 7 April 1917
France to England 15 May 1917
France to England 10 Aug 1917