HMHS Newfoundland was a British hospital ship. She served during the Second World War and was sunk in an air attack in the Mediterranean.

Career

Newfoundland spent the first part of the Second World War carrying wounded troops from the UK to Canada, and bringing the rehabilitated troops back home. Her sailings usually took her from Liverpool to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943, HMHS Newfoundland was assigned as the hospital ship of the Eighth Army, and was one of two hospital ships sent to deliver 103 American nurses to the Salerno beaches on 12 September. The hospital ships were attacked twice that day by dive bombers, and by evening they were joined by a third hospital ship. Concerned by a number of near misses, it was decided to move the ships out to sea and anchor there for the night. All three ships were brightly illuminated and carried standard Red Cross markings to identify them as hospital ships, and their protection under the Geneva Convention.

Sinking

At 5:00 a.m. on 13 September while under the command of Captain John Eric Wilson O.B.E, she was struck by either a Fritz X or a Henschel Hs 293 air launched anti-ship missile offshore of Salerno. It struck on the boat deck, abaft of the bridge. The ship fortunately was only carrying two patients and 34 crew members. Communications were lost but, more importantly, the fire fighting equipment was completely shattered. The USS Mayo came alongside to rescue the patients, and also put a party onboard to help with damage control. By now the ship had caught fire. There was another explosion and it became clear that the oil tanks had also caught fire. The injured crew left the boat and 12 crew members battled the fire for a further 36 hours. The ship was beyond repair and was towed further out to sea and intentionally sunk by the USS Plunkett. Of the people on board, six of the British staff nurses and all of the medical officers had been killed. The Luftwaffe's reasons for attacking HMHS Newfoundland have never been known. One theory has been put forward that the American nurses were mistaken for troops because of their green uniforms.

References

• Info About Ship And Crew

Bibliography