Wanganella (Huddart Parker)

Wanganella was requisitioned for duty as a Hospital Ship in May 1941 and Singapore, the Middle east and many Pacific islands saw her come and go to both Australia and New Zealand on her early voyages. She happened to be in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 14 April 1944 when one of the war’s largest non-atomic explosions occurred, the ship Fort Stikine, loaded with munitions, blowing up in the harbour. Escaping damage here and coming through the war generally unscathed, she concluded her war service by transporting serving troops from Pacific Islands and released prisoners-of-war from South East Asia home to Australia. She was handed back to owners in September 1946.