The SS Kyarra was built in Dumbarton, Scotland, for the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company. She was launched in 1903 as a luxurious passenger liner. Following the outbreak of WWI in 1914 the ship was requisitioned for use as a hospital ship. Preparations were made for her to transport 5 fully equipped medical units to Egypt, where the Australian troops were encamped in the shadows of the great pyramids.
Enemy states had been advised that the ship was on a mission of mercy. Accordingly, it was decided she would sail without a military convoy, under the Geneva Red Cross flag. Her funnel and her white hull were also painted with a giant red cross. To comply with the Geneva Convention, care was to be taken to ensure no ‘contraband’ goods were carried. The ambulances being transported even had the petrol drained from their fuel tanks.
However, when the ship arrived in Melbourne from Brisbane (via Sydney) there was a shocking discovery. The holds were filled with what were classified as ‘stores of war’; 700 tons of coal, 100 tons of wool, plus hides and tallow. How on earth could this have occurred? The matter was raised in parliament, but the Ministry of Defense failed to come up with an adequate explanation. The ship was delayed for a week while the banned stores were unloaded. Thankfully, there was now room to load Red Cross comfort packages for the troops! She finally left port on December 5.
Australian Red Cross comfort parcels,
One of the doctors who had joined the ship in Sydney was Major John Mitchell Young Stewart, a fifty year old veteran of the Boer War. The Scottish born Stewart had been practicing as a GP in country New South Wales. More medical personnel embarked in Melbourne and in Freemantle.
Nurses about to embark on the H.S. Kyarra in Melbourne.
The ship arrived in Alexandria on January 13 1915 , and military hospitals were quickly established in Cairo and at Mena.
On February 4, several hundred soldiers left the camp at Mena and embarked on the H.S. Kyarra to be returned to Australia. 173 of the men had fallen ill in Egypt or had been injured during training. 131 were being returned due to serious breaches of discipline. The invalids were to be attended on board by a doctor and nine nurses. Now a very odd thing occurred at this point.
It appears that Major Stewart was designated to be the Kyarra’s medical officer on the return trip, but on February 3rd, Captain Victor Ratten mysteriously ‘exchanged’ with Stewart. Captain Ratten had sailed from Hobart in October the previous year as Regimental Medical Officer to the 12th Battalion. This position was now assumed by Major Stewart.
And thus it was that the middle aged Major Stewart participated in the dawn landing at Gallipoli. He injured his knee seriously when he plunged into the water under heavy fire , carrying his rifle and pack. It is amazing that he managed to scale the cliffs at ANZAC Cove. He went on to earn the respect of everyone in the battalion by continuing to tend the wounded for two days, before being medically evacuated. He later served with distinction in France and was awarded the D.S.O. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and in 1919 was awarded the C.B.E in honour of his military service.
Meanwhile, the H.S. Kyarra arrived in Melbourne on March 11, 1915. Captain Ratten was granted a short period of leave, which he spent with his family in Tasmania. He was expected to rejoin his battalion at the front within a few weeks, but this did not occur. And thereby hangs a VERY strange tale. You will have to wait until the publication of my work-in-progress to discover what happened.
Captain Victor Ratten, taken just prior to leaving for Egypt in WWI
POSTSCRIPT
On May 30 1918 the Kyarra was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel while carrying general cargo and civilian passengers . There were six fatalities.
N.B. For an inspiring story of two WWI nurses from Tasmania, please click here.
Sounds intriguing, Pauline. How close is the WIP to being finished?
Hi Diane. Yes, a very interesting story. Have written quite a bit, and have applied for a grant to complete my research. Still a long way until publication though.
The caption to the Kyarra photograph is incorrect. The Kyarra was in Melbourne on the 4th Dec 1914 arriving there (from Brisbane via Sydney) on the 28th Nov 1914 before departing for the front on the 5th Dec 14. The boat never stopped in Adelaide at all. The Medical units and staff form Adelaide had to travel by train on the 27 Nov 14 to go to Melbourne. The place and date of the photo is 4th Dec 14 at Victoria Dock Melbourne. I am writing a book about one of the medical units. Kind regards Scott (0411325945)
Thanks for that Scott. And very best of luck with the book.
Hello Pauline
In his book ‘Welcoming the Wounded Anzacs’ Terry Keenan records the Kyarra arriving at Town Pier on 17 July 1915.
If you have more to tell about that arrival in Port Melbourne, we would love to hear from you for our project http://portmelbfirstworldwar100.org.au/
All the best with your research
Hello,
My interest in the “Kyarra’ began this week when I was asked to do some family history research for a friend with whom I grew up in Koorda, W.A. I discovered that her grandfather (mother’s father) Garnet H W Morley, who was a crew member on Kyarra, died when the ship was torpedoed. There is a report in the “Daily News” (Tuesday 1 July 1919 p.4)of a compensation court case instigated by Garnet Morley’s wife, Allison and the two daughters.
Perhaps you are already aware of the case, but I thought it could
still get an airing.
Regards, John
A relation of mine, my great-aunt, was a nurse on the H S Kyarra. She was Georgina Phillips. How can I find out more about her and her service on the ship?
Kind regards.
Tim
Do you have her service record, Tim?
No. Only her name and ship on her son’s enlistment form.
Regards
Tm
Sorry Tim, Christmas caught up with me. She would definitely have her own service file.
My grandfather who was a private in the RMLI was serving as Guns Crew and was a survivor of the Kyarra when it was torpedoed on Sunday 26th May 1918. He and the rest of those on board were rescued and returned to the Royal Naval Base at Poole in Dorset.
Hi Helen….wow, what an experience for your grandfather. They were all very lucky to survive.
I have been diving the wreck of the Kyarra since 1986, and have recovered many artifacts, including French perfume, portholes and Australian military badges. I am currently researching Pte Henry Andrew Redding, who was one of the six-man gun crew. Could this be your grandfather, Helen Mathews? (see previous post, March 2017) If so, I’d love to hear from you, as I am writing an article for the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking, in two months time.
Also maybe of interest to John McPartland (entry from Nov 2015) – I am familiar with the person he mentions – Henry Garnet Warmlington Morley (trimmer), Mercantile Marine, Drowned as a result of an attack by an enemy submarine, 26th May 1918, Age 28, Husband of Allison Trent Cook (formerly Morley) of The Shack, Calangir, Western Australia.
His name is commemorated on the CWGC monument at Tower Hill in London, to Merchant Mariners with no known grave.
Was your grandfather Private Henry Redding, Helen? (see my post below)
Hi,
A point of interest reading through this. My grandmother Hilda Mary Steele was one of the Chosen Twelve nurses from NZ to join the Australian Nurses and they sailed for the Suez on the 15th April 1915 on the Kyarra. They then continued the same day to Cairo by train to set up the hospitals for the wounded arriving from Gallipoli. She and two other nurses later set up the Infectious Hospital on the outskirts of Cairo and were pioneers in infectious nursing. Hilda later was posted to the Western Front, thereby another story. She was attested both to the New Zealand and Australia flags.
Barbara Gallagher.
Thanks for sharing this, Barbara. Your wonderful grandmother may have even have treated my great-uncle, who was medically evacuated back to Egypt from Gallipoli.
My grandfather, David Kidd was a troopship baker on the Kyarra and I have found a record with his name on it dated 20 Dec 1915 and another dated 24 Oct 1916. I would love to know more about his movements in the war and also if he was on the ship when it was sunk. Coukcc you advuse me where tok look please and aksk when your book will be available.
Regardxx, Ruth
Hi Ruth, have you looked at your grandfather’s AIF service record? My book should be available at the end of next year.