Links to additional resources
Medical Evacuation Chain - World War 1 - Hospital Ship Kyarra
Overview
Built in 1903, Kyarra was a sister ship of Kanowna but was rated at 6,953 grt. Kyarra was requisitioned by the British government in October 1914 and converted for use as a hospital ship at Brisbane. As HMAT A55 she was used to carry Australian medical units to Egypt. Surprisingly she was not in hospital ship use for long as in March 1915 she was converted to a troopship. In May 1918 she was released from Commonwealth control and sailed for Britain where she again reverted to the role of a hospital ship. On 26 May 1918, she was torpedoed and sunk. Five engineers were killed.
Details
Details
Registration number
cwa-org-32-99-004
Inscriptions and markings
During World War I, the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) suffered 58,339 deaths and 151,948 wounded. To help deal with so many injured and sick soldiers, the Australian Army Medical Corps was expanded. Australian soldiers served. They also worked in Australian hospitals for returned soldiers. Separate entries cover the Regimental Aid Post, the Field Ambulance, Casualty Clearing Stations, Base Hospitals (General, Stationary and Auxiliary), Command Depots and Convalescent Depots, Ambulance Trains, Ambulance Barges, and Hospital Ships.
In 1914, Australia was well supplied with modern passenger ships available to convert to hospital ships. During World War One, after an initial experience, five liners were used at various times as troop ships and as hospital ships, with two being lost to submarine attack.
Contextual Information
The medical evacuation chain and medical services are presented in a separate section of the World War 1 Galleries. Artefacts relating to medical services, the treatment of wounds, casualty recovery are also found throughout the Galleries. Individual stories of doctors, nurses, stretcher bearers are also found throughout the Museum. The Prisoner of War Gallery highlights the degree of medical improvisation and professional skills that saved many lives on the Thai Burma Railroad.
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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Medical Evacuation Chain - World War 1 - Hospital Ship Warlinda
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Cap, Uniform, Peaked, Coloured
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Watercolour of passenger ship leaving Fremantle docks, 1907
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India Medal (1895-1902)
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Regimental Blazer
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World War 1, Middle East, Syria, Jeneen, Logistic, Watering,10 Australian Light Horse, 1918
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World War 1, Middle East, Syria, Damascus, Logistics, Watering, 10 Australian Light Horse, 1918
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World War 1, Middle East, Palestine, Jordan Valley, Logistic, Watering 10 Australian Light Horse, 1918
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World War 1, Western Australia, 10th Reinforcement, 10 Light Horse, 1915
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World War 1, Middle East, Egypt, Logistics, Watering, 10 Light Horse, 1915
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World War 1, Western Australia, 33rd Reinforcement, 10 Light Horse, 1918
Medical supplies being loaded onto Kyarra, 1914
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