May 14 1988 marks the 45th anniversary of the sinking of the australian hospital ship centaur, with the loss of 268 lives. The provisional 200th medical hospital ship complement was set to work at rhoads general hospital named after colonel thomas leidy rhoads, mc, 18701940, designated us army general hospital by. As a hospital ship the manunda completed four voyages to the middle east between november 1940 and september 1941. Out of martin baxs appalling vision of contemporary civilization in collapse sails the hospital ship. You will be able to compare your ideas with the actual rules set out in investigation 2. Mercy class replaced the havenclass hospital ships the ships are operated by military sealift command and are designed to provide emergency, onsite care for american combatant forces, and. The british authors first novel is the account of an atomicpowered ark attempting to salvage a remnant.
Amazing pictures show the torpedoed hospital ship centaur resting on the sea floor. On the morning of 14 may, 23 australian hospital ship centaur was torpedoed east of moreton island and sank rapidly. This richly illustrated work covers all 39 ships that. She was converted to a hospital ship on 12 march 1943. Tony stephens, who was three years and eight months old when his father died on the centaur, looks at one of the australia s greatest wartime disasters. Torpedoeing by a japanese submarine of the centaur on 14th may, 1943 at 04. Australian hospital ships naval historical society of. Australian hospital ship centaur the myth of immunity. Images and cabin plan presented on this page has been sourced by mr. Today is the 63rd anniversary of the sinking of the 23rd australian hospital ship ahs centaur. Photographs supplied by diane watson russell byers john huth. The second ms centaur 2 was ordered for the ocean steamship co, of course later known as the blue funnel line and she was built in 1924, but she had a tragic end, after she had been. The search for australias lost hospital ship bbc news.
The hospital ship and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. After exploding with rage and injuring some caliphate marines, tanner. The australian hospital ship centaur built on the clyde at grennock in 1924, was. Wreck of australian world war ii hospital ship torpedoed by. In 1915, the government requisitioned two of the union steam ship companys newest passenger liners ss maheno and ss marama. The maheno and marama were the poster ships of new zealands first world war effort. Text and photo taken from the sydney morning herald of 29th march 2008. Hospital ship centaur sydney local health district.
Chris milligan, of mcgill university, montreal, became interested in the centaur when trying to trace the fate of an uncle, david ireland milligan, who went down with the hospital ship. The centaur story centaur memorial fund for nurses. Of the 332 medical personnel and civilian crew aboard, 268 died. Although there is an overall history of hospital ships the narrative mainly details the stories and history of four australian ww2 hospital ships the manunda, wanganella, centaur and oranje. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive. Flotsam from the 23 australian hospital ship centaur state library. Hospital ship centaur discovered off queensland coast. During wwii australianbased hospital ships were operated by the australian shipping control board ascb as hmahs his majestys australian hospital ship although some sources. The honour roll commemorates those who served on hospital ship centaur which was torpedoed by the japanese during world war two.
Hospital ships manunda, wanganella, centaur, oranje by rupert. During november 2527, centaurs life boat p2 and p4 were used to transfer survivors to the ship from their damaged boat, that was also hoisted aboard afterwards. The australian hospital ship centaur built on the clyde at grennock in 1924, was converted early in 1943 to serve in that capacity. Shipwreck hunters have found the centaur which was torpedoed in 1943 killing 268 people. The scottishbuilt vessel was launched in 1924 as a combination passenger linerfreighter and operated a. Ahoy macs web log australian hospital ship centaur. Other features of the ship identified included the mast, anchor and guard rails. The australian hospital ship centaur was clearly marked and brightly lit when she was torpedoed by a japanese submarine in the early hours of 14th may. Of the 332 medical personnel and civilian crew aboard, 268 were killed. Ellen savage 19121985, australian wartime hero articles. The centaur, 23rd australian hospital ship, was a motor passenger ship converted in early 1943 for use as a hospital ship.
The sinking of the australian hospital ship centaur war. Dutch hospital ship, ss tasman, 1943 picture australian hospital ship centaur. Australian hospital ship ahs centaur was a hospital ship which was attacked and sunk by a. Then they could see the green band and red crosses that marked the centaur as a hospital ship the crosses still. Until 1915 these steamers had carried passengers across the tasman for the union steam ship company, but as. On 12 may 1943 the centaur sailed unescorted from sydney at 0945 hours carrying her crew.
The centaur story sunk by a japanese torpedoe in 1943. The tragedy of the centaur naval historical society of. The hospital ship centaur ray leasks unofficial clan. Rohwer the report, stated that nakagawa and i177 were responsible for the attack on centaur in his 1979 book history of submarine warfare. Mr mearns, who located the centaur wreck off the coast of morton island in december last year, said some sections of the. The sinking of the centaur the australian war memorial. Both were fitted out as hospital ships for service during the first world. Only in 1978, historical research found him responsible for having sunk the australian hospital ship hmas centaur, while he was commander of i177 268. Australian hospital ship ahs centaur was a hospital ship which was attacked and sunk by a japanese submarine off the coast of queensland, australia, on 14 may 1943. Premier and minister for the arts the honourable anna bligh tuesday, march 02, 2010 national memorial service held for ahs centaur. Before dawn on 14 may 1943, australian hospital ship centaur was torpedoed by a japanese submarine off north stradbroke island.
The monument and park commemorate those who lost their lives in the sinking of the. The hospital ship centaur text and photo taken from the sydney morning herald of 29th march 2008. Thanks for your understanding, stay safe and look after family and friends during these unprecedented times. First pictures of australian wwii hospital ship torpedoed by japanese. Centaur was british registered and crewed by australian sailors. An australian world war ii hospital ship, the centaur, has been seen for the first time since it sank more than 60 years ago with a loss of 268 lives. Torpedoed australian hospital ship ahs centaur found. This article, by dr julie ustinoff, was originally published on the queensland state archives website, april 2009. The myth of immunity 97806467155 by milligan, christopher and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The wwii ship was torpedoed by a japanese submarine in 1943 and sank off the southeast queensland. Hmhs maheno hospital ship national museum of the royal. Hospital ships of world war one national museum of the. By wars end, the fleet had carried nearly 17,000 sick and wounded home.
For australias ellen savage, it was the three minutes it took for the australian hospital ship centaur to sink in 1943. Of the 332 medical personnel and civilian crew aboard, 268 died, including 63 of the 65 army personnel. The tragedy of the centaur naval historical society of australia. The centaur was struck in an oil fuel tank on the port side, caught fire, and sank within minutes. Most are operated by the military forces mostly navies of various countries, as they are. On may 14th 1943, australian hospital ship ahs centaur was steaming a course 24 miles e.
It was in the indian ocean in november of 1941 that the ship rescued. Bbc news sunk australia wwii hospital ship centaur. In the early hours of friday 14 may 1943 the hospital ship ahs centaur, ablaze with lights, was torpedoed by japanese submarine 1177 off moreton island. A search team has discovered the wreck of australian wartime hospital ship centaur. She was torpedoed by japanese submarine i177 on 14 may 1943, during her second voyage to new guinea as a hospital ship. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Australian hospital ships centaur oranje wanganella manunda. National memorial service held for ahs centaur the. In november 1941 it had rescued survivors of the german auxiliary cruiser. She was torpedoed by japanese submarine i177 on 14 may 1943, during her second.