HMAT A20 Hororata
From Our Contribution
 | |
 Preparing to leave Port Melbourne 17 Apr 1915 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAT A20 Hororata |
| Owner | New Zealand Shipping Company Ltd |
| Builder | William Deny & Bros, Dumbarton |
| Yard number | 993 |
| Launched | 29 Dec 1913 |
| Completed | 23 May 1914 |
| In service | 3 Jun 1914 |
| Out of service | 5 Apr 1943 |
| Fate | torpedoed in North Atlantic |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger / Cargo Refrigerated |
| Tonnage | 9,461 tons |
| Length | 511.1 ft (155.78m) |
| Beam | 64.2 ft (19.57m) |
| Depth | 32 ft (9.75m) |
| Propulsion | twin screw |
| Speed | 15.7 knots (29.1 kph) |
Contents
Remarks
Owned by the New Zealand Shipping Co Ltd, London and leased by the Commonwealth until 11 Sep 1917. Originally fitted out to serve the New Zealand emigrant trade, with 5 First Class berths and 1066 Steerage Class. She completed six voyages from Australia, the first being from Melbourne with the 6th and 7th Battalion HQs on 18 Oct 1914, and she was a member of the 1st Convoy that left from Albany. From 12 Sep 1917 until 12 Apr 1919 she was under the control of the British Admiralty, having been taken up as part of the Liner Requisition Scheme, continuing to carry troops.
Laid up from August 1930 until Feb 1933. The Hororata then served as a Cadet Training Ship from 1934 to 1939. Sold to the British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd in London, it was renamed Waroonga before being again requisitioned on 7 Mar 1940 for service with the Liner Requisition Scheme. On 5 Apr 1943 while part of a convoy from New York to London it was torpedoed by U Boat U630, sinking the next day following an explosion. 22 crew were lost.
Soldiers carried
Fremantle to Port Tewfik 18 Feb 1915 - ??
Sydney to Port Tewfik (Suez) 10 April 1915 - 18 May 1915
Embarked in Fremantle on 26 April
- Ronald Adolphous Julian Batt
- William Buck
- Charles Henry Davis
- Cyril Foxwell
- Albert Stephenson Jackson
- Cyril Lowth MM
- Hector Lionel Saw
- Frederick Selkirk
- Hugh Henry Smith
- John Donald Stalker
- William George Tait
Melbourne to Port Tewfik (Suez) 27 September - 27 October 1915
Embarked in Fremantle 3 October
- Herbert Lewis Battams
- † Sydney Fenner Blencowe
- Bernard William Chatfield
- † Walter Edward Dalziell
- Charles Henry Davis
- Lionel William Gibbs embarked 1 Oct 1915
- Frederick George Hodges
- William John Martin (1278)
- † Charles William Price
- † Stephen Henry Robson
- Stuart Alan Webb
- James Murray Whiteley
Alexandria to Marseilles 17 - 22 June 1916
England to Fremantle 16 April - 30 May 1920
- John Hall + wife and child
Other Voyages
19 October 1914 from Melbourne 2 May 1916 from Sydney 23 November 1916 from Melbourne 14 June 1917 from Sydney