HMT Southland

HMT "Southland" was a Belgian ocean liner originally built as SS "Vaderland" in 1900 that was converted into a troopship for transporting the Canadian Expeditionary Force units from Halifax to Liverpool. "Vaderland" was a sister ship to at John Brown & Company of Clydebank in Scotland, and two others, by about midday though some troops spent up to 4 hours in the water. During the subsequent rescue operations "Ben-my-Chree" took on board 649 troops and 121 crew from 21 boats and rafts and provided medical attention as required until all were transferred to the troopship SS|Transylvania in Mudros harbour. "Southland" eventually limped back to Mudros assisted by HMS|Racoon|1910|6 and was repaired.

The sinking was reported as

"A Splendid story is told of the sinking of the transport Southland in the Mediterranean Sea. When the torpedo struck the vessel relled and the order was given to abandon the ship. There was never a cry or sign of fear. The Australian soldiers merely came briskly on deck singing 'Australia will be there.'

The troops all went to their stations and lowered the boats in an orderly manner. The subalterns searched the interior of the ship for wounded and finally came on deck to find only the general staff on board. They helped to lower the last boats and got into a half swamped one themselves. Fourteen persons were killed by the explosion and twenty two were drowned including Brigadier General Linton." [London Gazette, Sinking of the Southland, a story of heroism, 'Gazette's' Special Service, London, Nov. 16] [the commander of the 6th Brigade, Colonel R. Linton [http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/Generals/legge.html] ]

However, a member of Australian unit reported one crew shot for behaving improperly. [ [http://matthewsreevesfamily.blogspot.com/2007/11/6-leslie-william-matthews.html] , Matthews] The remaining men and ship's crew were able to got to the Allied vessels later the same day. HMT "Southland" carried James Martin who's experiences, and those of his friend Cecil Hogan, were described in a book by Anthony Hill.

The sinking was depicted in the painting "Sinking of the Southland" [AWM Collection Record: ART09829 [http://cas.awm.gov.au/art/ART09829] Sinking of the Southland] by Fred Leist, who was appointed an official war artist in September 1917, and attached to the 5th Division AIF.

She returned to White Star - Dominion Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal service in August 1916, but on 4 June 1917 was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine "U-70" 140 miles north west of Tory Island off the Irish coast with the loss of 44 lives. [Bonsor, p. 855.] [ [http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=2189] Shipping Times site]

Notes

References

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* (Convenience copy located at [http://matthewsreevesfamily.blogspot.com/2007/11/6-leslie-william-matthews.html The Matthews and Reeves Families] .)

Further reading

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