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HMAT A16 Port Melbourne

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HMAT A16 Port Melbourne
HMAT A16 Port Melbourne.jpg
History
Name HMAT A16 Port Melbourne
Owner Star Line Ltd (J P Corry), Belfast
Builder Workman Clark, Belfast
Launched Nov 1913
Completed 10 Jan 1914
Fate scrapped 1948
General characteristics
Type Passenger/cargo steamship (refrigerated)
Tonnage 9,152 tons
Length 503.3 ft (152.7m)
Beam 63.3ft (19.3m)
Speed 13 knots (21 kph)
Capacity crew + 1,000 troops


Remarks

Also known for the early part of the war as Star of Victoria. Owned by the Commonwealth and Dominion Line. Requisitioned by the Commonwealth in 1914, she spent August / September being converted to carry 1,000 troops. Under both names, she made eight transport voyages from Australia commencing with the first convoy when she carried the 1st Light Horse Brigade to Alexandria in Egypt.


The renaming occurred in 1916 when its ownership was taken back by the Commonwealth and Dominion Line Ltd of London. The vessel remained under lease with the Commonwealth until 2 Oct 1917 after which she came under the control of the British Admiralty.


In 1919 she was converted for normal commercial trade. Following lengthy periods when she was laid up in the 1930s, during WW2 she was used as a carrier of chilled meat, and survived to eventually be broken up in 1948.

Soldiers carried

England to Sydney 19 January 29 February 1916

Melbourne to Davenport 21 October - 28 December 1916

Embarked in Fremantle on 30 October

Sydney to Liverpool 16 July - 16 September 1917

Embarked in Albany on 21 July

England to Albany 11 January - 26 February 1918

Albany to Southampton via Port Suez, Alexandria, Faenza (Italy) 8 May - 20 August 1918

Port Said to Fremantle 4 - 31 March 1919

Other Voyages

  • 20 October 1914 from Sydney
  • 25 February 1915 from Melbourne
  • 10 September 1915 from Melbourne
  • 30 March 1916 from Brisbane & 31 March 1916 from Sydney