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No. 55 - Wakool

W. Lund Blue Anchor Steam Ship Co., Ltd.

Master: H.G. Thomas
Chief Officer: H.W. Hayes
Chief Engineer: J. Milne / G. Warburton
2nd Officer: A. Hall / C. Owen / G.T. Smith
3rd Officer: J. Coney / A.S. Gammon / R.W. Leader
2nd Engineer: J. Hall / A.E. Ridley
3rd Engineer: A.K. Barbour / P.W. Clarke / F.W. Docker / T. Fleming
Purser: W.O. Carr


Admiralty Return, 13 Aug 1903

Date of Admiralty agreement: 14 Oct 1899
40th Transport to be engaged by the Admiralty
Carried cavalry & infantry

Period of engagement: 17 Oct 1899 to 31 Dec 1902

Total days at sea: 532
Total numbers transported to South Africa: 147 officers, 2 warrant officer, 3,626 men, 250 horses
Total numbers transported from South Africa: 143 officers, 4,109 N.C.O.'s & men, 9 horses
Total cost (hire, fittings, coal and port dues): £188,294

















.Photographs taken by Lieutenant Granville Craig, 3rd Bn. Royal Irish Rifle (Copyright King's College Collections)
.SEE: King's Collections








.Photograph previously posted by Paul Dunn






.Photograph previously posted by djb







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No. 69 - Canada

British and North Atlantic Steam Navigation Co.

Master: E. Maddox
Chief Officer: R. Jones / C. Merricks
Chief Engineer: O. Jones / J. Pritchard
1st Officer: J.W. Christie / J.P. Lewis / P.P. Williams
2nd Officer: G. Berry / J. Harries / F.O. Seabourne
2nd Engineer: G. Miller / H. Williams / J.W. Thompson
3rd Engineer: E.T. Abel / W.H. Groom / John Herbert Thearle
Surgeon: J.H. Finnie / H.A. Warke


Admiralty Return, 13 Aug 1903

Date of Admiralty agreement: 15 Nov 1899.
65th Transport to be engaged by the Admiralty.

Period of engagement: 21 Nov 1899 to 30 Sep 1902
Total days at sea: 562
Total numbers transported to South Africa: 856 officers, 48 warrant officers, 19,227 men, 59 horses
Total numbers transported from South Africa: 759 officers, 12,802 N.C.O.'s & men, 34 women & children (adults), 53 horses
Total cost (hire, fittings, coal and port dues): £416,745



Manchester Courier, 21st April 1900

FOR THE FRONT.
MANCHETSER COMPANY.
DEPARTURE FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

The departure of the hired transport Canada, from Southampton on Saturday last [14/04/1900], was witnessed by a large and enthusiastic crowd. Particular interest was attached to the sailing of the troopship in that she carried the last contingent of Imperial Yeomanry that are likely to be sent out, and to this contingent Manchester has contributed a substantial proportion in the 77th Company.
This company, which entrained at London Road Station at 2.40 a.m. on Saturday, arrived at Southampton docks at 12.15.
Among those who had travelled down to bid farewell to friends going out were Mt Harry Sowler, Mr Arthur Sowler, and Mr R.A. Atmitage, jun., who were with Lieutenant Frank Sowler, who goes out second in command of the 77th Company of Imperial Yeomanry; Mr F. Cawley, M.P., and Mr C. Salisbury, postmaster of Liverpool, who have sons in the same company, and Mr Henry Davies, of Preston, whose son is going out attached to the Welsh Hospital, were also present at the send-off.
Upwards of 1,500 officers and men were on board, including (in addition to the Manchester Company) the 20th Battalion of Imperial Yeomanry, the Roughriders’ Battalion, comprising the 72nd, 76th, 78th, and 79th Companies, as well as reserves of the Dorset Imperial Yeomanry.
Golden sunshine prevailed, and all the men seemed to be in the best spirits. Shortly after three o’clock the gangways were withdrawn, and immediately every available position on the decks, as well as the boats and rigging, was filled with the men.
The Canada took out a large number of nurses, and their blue and scarlet costumes on the upper deck formed a pretty contrast to the otherwise unbroken line of khaki.
A trumpeter, who claims to have witnessed the departure of 120,000 men since the war began, played popular and martial airs, the choruses being sung and whistled by those on the trooper and on the quay, and loud cheers were given for Lord Roberts and Sir George White.
As the vessel slowly steamed away she presented a remarkable and never-to-be-forgotten sight.






.The transport Canada taking on troops at Southampton previous to her departure for the Cape on 14 April 1900





.Detail, showing trooper with 78th Company I.Y. shoulder titles and Roughriders slouch hat badge.




London Evening Standard, 11th April 1900

The Rough Riders’ Companies Imperial Yeomanry, which have been training at Aldershot during the last few weeks, have received orders to embark on Saturday, 14th inst., on the transport Canada. They are Nos. 72, 76, 78, and 79, commanded respectively by Majors Chadwick, Colvin, Bonham, and Captain Piercey. Each company numbers five officers and 116 men, who, since their arrival at Aldershot, have been almost constantly at drill and are now thoroughly equipped for service. With them will go the 20th Battalion Staff, under Colonel Colvin, as well as a Hospital Staff and Veterinary Staff.


.Sportsman's knife, carried by Captain Harry Walter Musgrave Bonham, C.O., 78th (Rough Riders) Company, 20th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry.




SEE ALSO: No. 69 - Canada


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No. 22 - Sardinia

ENGAGED EIGHT WEEKS AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES – ALLOCATED "No. 22" WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ASSIGNED TO URMSTON GRANGE

P. & O. Steam Navigation Co.

Master: J.R. Lendon
Chief Officer: A.F. Vine
Chief Engineer: A.E. Randall
2nd Officer: G.P. Kelly
3rd Officer: E.H. Orchard
2nd Engineer: J.H. Buck
3rd Engineer: A.R. Stuart


Admiralty Return, 13 Aug 1903

Date of Admiralty agreement: 16 Jul 1902
115th Transport to be engaged by the Admiralty
Carried infantry only

Period of engagement: 26 Jul 1902 to 31 Dec 1902

Total days at sea: 89
Total numbers transported to South Africa: 48 officers, 3 warrant officer, 1,060 men
Total numbers transported from South Africa: 46 officers, 1,910 N.C.O.'s & men, 6 horses
Total cost (hire, fittings, coal and port dues): £45,652










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NO.83 CAVOUR

My attention was recently drawn to Troopship 83 CAVOUR because she transported Smethwickian 4244 Private Percy George Payne of the 8th Hussars to South Africa.

Neville’s researches show she served as a Boer War Troopship from 2 January 1900 to 31 July 1900 and spent 102 days at sea in this role.

102 days at sea looks like 4 voyages between England & South Africa but could have been 5 with fair winds & weather on each occasion.

She receives 8 mentions in the Shipping Records listed on this site and analysis indicates 4 voyages.

Voyage 1: On 28 January 1900 she left Liverpool, coaled at Las Palmas on 5 February 1900 and reached Cape Town on 21 February 1900, meaning she spent 24 days at sea. She carried soldiers form Derbyshire, Staffordshire and two Imperial Yeomanry Companies – the records do not detail the exact regiments and companies.

Voyage 2: The only report of her return journey to England is that she coaled at St Vincent on 25 April 1900.

Voyage 3: She left Albert Docks, London on the afternoon of 17 May 1900 and arrived at Cape Town on 11 June 1900, meaning she spent 31 days at sea. The records state “The troops were drafts of the R A, Royal Scots, 2/Yorkshire Light Infantry and 3/Devonshire Regiments.” but list one of the officers as “8th Hussars – 2nd Lieutenant E G Wood”

Voyage 4: She left Cape Town on 29 June 1900 carrying about 260 invalids home. The Shipping Records do not tell us when she arrived back in England.

Although we don’t know the length of two voyages for her to have done 5 voyages in total would have meant all the remaining three were near record breakers.

The voyage of interest to me is Voyage 3. The service record of 4244 Pte Payne shows he embarked for South Africa on 16 May 1900. So, we can presume he spent the night of May 16/17 aboard before setting sail. My other source of information on this voyage is the published diary of Sergeant J W Morton of the 8th Hussars. He states that in addition to Second-Lieutenant E G Woods (medal rolls show Morton has the correct spelling) there were 54 drafts of the 8th Hussars (of whom 12 had been seconded from the 15th Hussars). So, the pedantic scientist within me says the Shipping Records are wanting on two accounts but, as they are based on newspaper reports, errors and omissions are inevitable. The Shipping Records report the Cavour arrived at Cape Town on 11 June 1900 but J W Morton reckoned they disembarked at Cape Town on 13 June 1900 – the difference possibly indicating another night spent aboard in harbour and the time taken to disgorge the troops and their equipment.

The much needed, the 8th Hussars were at half strength at the time, first draft of which Pte Payne was part, eventually caught up with their regiment encamped at Kameel Drift about 8 miles NE of the centre of Pretoria – a journey of about 900 miles accomplished in less than 3 weeks. So a considerable amount of the journey must have been by train especially as they seem to have arrived without any horses. This begs the question as to what use they were to a cavalry regiment even shorter of horses than men.

Searching the usual haunts for photos and information about the Cavour drew a blank until I sank to eBay. The information is given by the vendor of the photos and I have been unable to verify it from other sources. Sadly she is not carrying the number 83 and looks as though she is nearing the end of a hard life and in need of some tlc.



Close up of her bow to show her name more clearly:



Writing on the back of the photo:



Information given by eBay vendor: Screw Steamer CAVOUR built by Scott & Co. in 1881 for Liverpool Brazil & River Plate SN Co. (Lamport & Holt). Broken up Rio de Janeiro.

No. 31 - Servia

Cunard Steam Ship Co., Ltd.

Master: J. King, T. Stephens
Chief Officer: D. Dow
Chief Engineer: J. Pattison
1st Officer: S. Wright
2nd Officer: E.C. Kissack
2nd Engineer: J. McNab
3rd Engineer: J. Brown
Surgeon: W.J. St Stephens


Admiralty Return, 13 Aug 1903

Date of Admiralty agreement: 2 Oct 1899
50th Transport to be engaged by the Admiralty
Carried infantry only

Period of engagement: 21 Oct 1899 to 11 May 1900

Total days at sea: 107
Total numbers transported to South Africa: 168 officers, 9 warrant officer, 2,892 men, 12 horses
Total numbers transported from South Africa: 7 officers, 216 N.C.O.'s & men
Total cost (hire, fittings, coal and port dues): £79,670









.1:48 scale model of the S.S. Servia (Courtesy of Charles Miller Ltd.; funnel colours inverted)






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Lists of Transports "on the way to the Cape", published in the London Evening Standard, 16th & 22nd November 1899.




.London Evening Standard, 16th November 1899




.London Evening Standard, 22nd November 1899


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