HMHS Asturias

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Every boy's book of railways and steamships (1911) (14736036766)

HMHS Asturias was a British hospital ship that served during the First World War. Originally built as a passenger liner for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1914 and converted into a hospital ship, designated as His Majesty's Hospital Ship (HMHS) Asturias. Throughout the war, HMHS Asturias played a crucial role in transporting wounded soldiers from various battlefronts back to the United Kingdom for treatment.

History

The ship was launched in 1908 as part of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's fleet, designed to carry passengers and mail between Britain and South America. With the outbreak of the First World War, the British government requisitioned many civilian liners, including Asturias, to serve in various capacities such as troop transports and hospital ships.

Service as a Hospital Ship

Upon her conversion into a hospital ship, HMHS Asturias was painted white with large red crosses, symbols protected under the Geneva Convention, to designate her as a non-combatant vessel dedicated to medical services. The ship was equipped with operating theatres, wards, and other medical facilities necessary for treating wounded servicemen. She could carry over 800 patients and a medical staff consisting of doctors, nurses, and orderlies.

During her service, HMHS Asturias made numerous voyages across the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea, evacuating the wounded from the Gallipoli Campaign, the Italian Front, and the Western Front. Her efforts contributed significantly to the medical treatment and recovery of thousands of soldiers.

Attack and Aftermath

In March 1917, while returning to Britain empty of patients but still marked as a hospital ship, HMHS Asturias was torpedoed by a German U-boat. The attack caused significant damage, leading to the ship running aground near Devon. Despite the severe damage, the majority of the crew survived, but the ship was deemed too damaged to return to service as a hospital ship.

After the war, the hulk of Asturias was salvaged and eventually rebuilt as a passenger liner. She returned to commercial service, operating until her final scrapping in 1933.

Legacy

The story of HMHS Asturias highlights the perilous conditions faced by hospital ships during the First World War, operating under the constant threat of enemy attack despite the protections afforded by international law. Her service exemplifies the critical support role that these vessels played in the war effort, providing lifesaving medical care to wounded soldiers far from the front lines.