SS Himalaya (1892)
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SS ''Himalaya'' was a P&O
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ocean liner An ocean liner is a type of passenger ship primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). The ...
that was built in
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in 1892 and scrapped in
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in 1922. She operated scheduled services between
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and
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until 1908, and then to and from
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until 1914. Although built as a civilian ship, ''Himalaya'' was designed to be suitable for conversion to an
auxiliary cruiser An armed merchantman is a merchant ship equipped with guns, usually for defensive purposes, either by design or after the fact. In the days of sail, piracy and privateers, many merchantmen would be routinely armed, especially those engaging in lo ...
if required. In the
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she served as a
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armed merchant cruiser An armed merchantman is a merchant ship equipped with guns, usually for defensive purposes, either by design or after the fact. In the days of sail, piracy and privateers, many merchantmen would be routinely armed, especially those engaging in lo ...
from 1914, and was equipped with a
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from 1916. This was the second P&O liner to be called ''Himalaya''. The first was completed in 1854, spent most of her career in the Royal Navy as a
troop ship A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable to land troops directly on shore, typic ...
and then a coal
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, and was sunk by enemy action in 1940. The third was completed in 1949 and scrapped in 1975.


"Jubilee boats"

In 1887
Caird & Company Caird & Company was a Scottish shipbuilding and engineering firm based in Greenock. The company was established in 1828 by John Caird when he received an order to re-engine River Clyde, Clyde paddle-tugs. John's relative James Tennant Caird joine ...
at
Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...
on the
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built a pair of liners for P&O, ''Victoria'' and . They were sometimes called the "Jubilee boats" because 1887 was the
Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated on 20 and 21 June 1887 to mark the Golden jubilee, 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. It was celebrated with a National service of thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Serv ...
. In the same year
Harland & Wolff Harland & Wolff Holdings plc is a British shipbuilding and Metal fabrication, fabrication company headquartered in London with sites in Belfast, Arnish yard, Arnish, Appledore, Torridge, Appledore and Methil. It specialises in ship repair, ship ...
in Belfast launched two
sister ship A sister ship is a ship of the same Ship class, class or of virtually identical design to another ship. Such vessels share a nearly identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. They o ...
s of the same class, and ''Arcadia'', that were completed in 1888. The "Jubilee boats" from Harland & Wolff had the same
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as those from Caird, but were longer and their steam engines were rated at 883 rather than 849 NHP. Caird built two more ships to an improved version of the same design in 1892. ''Himalaya'' and ''Australia'' had the same length and beam, but a more powerful engine and better passenger accommodation. ''Himalaya'' and ''Australia'' were yard numbers 266 and 267. ''Himalaya'' was launched on 27 February 1892 and completed on 24 June. ''Australia'' was launched on 29 July 1892 and completed on 31 October.


Details

''Himalaya''s registered length was , her beam was and her depth was . Her
tonnage Tonnage is a measure of the capacity of a ship, and is commonly used to assess fees on commercial shipping. The term derives from the taxation paid on '' tuns'' or casks of wine. In modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically refers to a cal ...
s were and . ''Himalaya'' and ''Australia'' were built to
Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Tra ...
requirements, with watertight bulkheads for which the UK Government paid an ongoing subsidy of £3,375 a year, to make them suitable to be requisitioned as auxiliary cruisers if required. Each ship had a single
screw A screw is an externally helical threaded fastener capable of being tightened or released by a twisting force (torque) to the screw head, head. The most common uses of screws are to hold objects together and there are many forms for a variety ...
, driven by a three-cylinder
triple expansion engine A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a cylinder. This pushing force can be transf ...
rated at 1,356 NHP or 10,000 IHP and giving a cruising speed of . Steam was raised in three double-ended and three single-ended boilers. Each ship had two funnels and four masts. ''Himalaya'' was built with berths for 265 first class and 144 second class passengers. Her
complement Complement may refer to: The arts * Complement (music), an interval that, when added to another, spans an octave ** Aggregate complementation, the separation of pitch-class collections into complementary sets * Complementary color, in the visu ...
was 249 officers and men, of whom 84 were
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
and 165 were
Lascar A lascar was a sailor or militiaman from the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Arab world, British Somaliland or other lands east of the Cape of Good Hope who was employed on European ships from the 16th century until the mid-20th centur ...
s. Her holds had capacity for of cargo, including
refrigerated Refrigeration is any of various types of cooling of a space, substance, or system to lower and/or maintain its temperature below the ambient one (while the removed heat is ejected to a place of higher temperature).IIR International Dictionary of ...
space for perishable goods. The architect
Thomas Collcutt Thomas Edward Collcutt c.1890 Thomas Edward Collcutt (16 March 1840 – 7 October 1924) was an English architect in the Victorian era who designed several important buildings in London including the Savoy Hotel, Lloyd's Register of Shipping ...
designed ''Himalaya''s public rooms. He designed her music room in neoclassical style, with slim columns with
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. Her main dining saloon was long, extended the entire width of the ship, and could seat 206 diners. P&O
registered Registered may refer to: * Registered mail, letters, packets or other postal documents considered valuable and in need of a chain of custody * Registered trademark symbol, symbol ® that provides notice that the preceding is a trademark or service ...
''Himalaya'' at Greenock. Her UK
official number Official numbers are ship identifier numbers assigned to merchant ships by their flag state, country of registration. Each country developed its own official numbering system, some on a national and some on a port-by-port basis, and the formats hav ...
was 99776 and her
code letters Code letters or ship's call sign (or callsign) Mtide Taurus - IMO 7626853"> SHIPSPOTTING.COM >> Mtide Taurus - IMO 7626853/ref> were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of ...
were MQDN. By 1913 she was equipped for
wireless telegraphy Wireless telegraphy or radiotelegraphy is the transmission of text messages by radio waves, analogous to electrical telegraphy using electrical cable, cables. Before about 1910, the term ''wireless telegraphy'' was also used for other experimenta ...
. Her wireless call sign was MNY.


First voyages

On 30 July 1892 ''Himalaya'' began a trial voyage across the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
from
Tilbury Tilbury is a port town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. The present town was established as separate settlement in the late 19th century, on land that was mainly part of Chadwell St Mary. It contains a Tilbury Fort, 16th century fort ...
to
Cherbourg Cherbourg is a former Communes of France, commune and Subprefectures in France, subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French departments of France, department of Manche. It was merged into the com ...
, carrying 150 guests. On the crossing she was reported to have averaged a speed of . She made her return crossing via
Cowes Cowes () is an England, English port, seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked b ...
for the annual sailing regatta, and then returned to Tilbury. On 10 October 1892 ''Himalaya'' began her maiden voyage via the
Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...
to India. She was delayed by
quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...
regulations in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, and by her engine breaking down six times in the voyage. She reached
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
early in November, 13 days after leaving England. Despite the delays, her voyage set a new record. ''Himalaya'' then returned from Bombay via
Brindisi Brindisi ( ; ) is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Historically, the city has played an essential role in trade and culture due to its strategic position ...
in
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
to Tilbury, again setting a record of 13 days. In January 1893 ''Himalaya'' made her first voyage from England to Australia. She left Tilbury on 6 January, sailed via
Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
,
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, Suez Canal,
Aden Aden () is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, on the north coast of the Gulf of Aden, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km (110 mi) east of ...
and
Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
. She reached
Albany, Western Australia Albany ( ; ) is a port city in the Great Southern region in the Australian state of Western Australia, southeast of Perth, the state capital. The city centre is at the northern edge of Princess Royal Harbour, which is a part of King G ...
on 7 February, then called at
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
and
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, and reached
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
on 16 February. On her return voyage ''Himalaya'' left Sydney on 4 March 1893. She called at
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
in
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
, and then at Melbourne,
Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide city centre, Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is t ...
and Albany, before continuing her voyage to England. At Melbourne she embarked a team of 14 officers and men from Sir William Clarke's a battery of the Victorian Horse Artillery, which was to take part in the
Royal Tournament The Royal Tournament was the world's largest military tattoo and pageant, held by the British Armed Forces annually between 1880 and 1999. The venue was originally the Royal Agricultural Hall, before moving to Olympia London and latterly the Ea ...
at
Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...
in London and mounted shooting events at Bisley in
Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
. Also on ''Himalaya''s first voyage from Australia to England was a cricket team to represent Australia in a match against the
Earl of Sheffield Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ''countess'' is used. The titl ...
's All-England team at Sheffield Park in
East Sussex East Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement ...
. In England, ''Himalaya'' called at
Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
on 20 April before continuing to Tilbury. Meanwhile ''Australia'' was completed in October 1892, and began her maiden voyage to Australia that November. In April and May 1893 ''Australia'' set a new speed record, completing her voyage from Tilbury to Adelaide in 26 days and 16 hours. In May and June 1893, ''Himalaya'' broke this record. In the small hours of 20 June 1904 ''Australia'' ran aground on Corsair Rock off
Point Nepean Point Nepean (Boonwurrung: ''Boona-djalang'') marks the southern point of The Rip (the entrance to Port Phillip) and the most westerly point of the Mornington Peninsula, in Victoria, Australia. It was named in 1802 after the British politici ...
while approaching
Port Phillip Port Phillip (Kulin languages, Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped bay#Types, enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, ...
. She was being piloted at the time, but her pilot was
diabetic Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
and was taken ill. There were no deaths, and most of her cargo was salvaged, but it proved impossible to refloat her. Her fittings were also salvaged, and her wreck was sold in situ.


First World War

In August 1914 ''Himalaya'' was in Hong Kong when the Admiralty requisitioned her. She was converted there, and fitted with eight QF 4.7 inch guns as her primary armament. She was commissioned as HMS ''Himalaya'', with the
pennant number In the Royal Navy and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth of Nations, ships are identified by pennant number (an internationalisation of ''pendant number'', which it was called before 1948). Historically, naval ships flew a flag that iden ...
M.67. She then patrolled the
China Seas The China Seas consist of a series of marginal seas in the Western Pacific Ocean, around China. They are the major components signifying the transition from the continent of Asia to the Pacific Ocean.Pinxian Wang, Qianyu Li, Chun-Feng Li, ''Geol ...
, and kept watch for
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's List of seas, seas and Ocean, oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. ...
s such as
colliers Collier or colliers may refer to: Coal industry * Collier, coal miner or coal merchant * Colliery, coal mining and selling; or a coal mine *Collier (ship), a bulk cargo ship which carried coal *Charcoal maker, in colonial United States and also i ...
in neutral
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
trying to reach and supply the
Imperial German Navy The Imperial German Navy or the ''Kaiserliche Marine'' (Imperial Navy) was the navy of the German Empire, which existed between 1871 and 1919. It grew out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy), which was mainly for ...
's
East Asia Squadron The German East Asia Squadron () was an Imperial German Navy cruiser squadron which operated mainly in the Pacific Ocean between the mid-1890s until 1914, when it was destroyed at the Battle of the Falkland Islands. It was based at Germany's Ji ...
. She also patrolled the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
, and in February 1915 she helped to repel an Ottoman
raid on the Suez Canal The raid on the Suez Canal, also known as actions on the Suez Canal, took place between 26 January and 4 February 1915 when a German-led Ottoman force advanced from southern Palestine to attack the British Empire-protected Suez Canal, marking ...
. In September 1915 she was recalled to the UK. On 11 April 1916 ''Himalaya'' was recommissioned in
Canada Dock Canada Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England, and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the northern dock system in Kirkdale. Canada Dock consists of a main basin nearest the river wall with three branch docks and a graving ...
in
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
. On 20 April she left Canada Dock, and the next day she left Liverpool. She sailed via St Vincent and
Saint Helena Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory. Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...
to
Simon's Town Naval Base Naval Base Simonstown is the South African Navy's largest naval base, situated in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Western Cape. The base provides support functions to Fleet Command. History A small dockyard facility was first est ...
in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, where she arrived on 16 May. There she was fitted with an aircraft deck, and her 4.7-inch guns were replaced with
QF 6-inch naval gun The QF 6-inch 40 calibre naval gun (Quick firing gun, Quick-Firing) was used by many United Kingdom-built warships around the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century. In British service it was known as the QF 6-inch Mk I, II, III ...
s.


East Africa

''Himalaya'' took part in the East African Campaign from June 1916 until April 1917. On 1 June 1916 she left Simon's Town for
Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...
, where she embarked troops. On 17 June she left Durban, and on 21 June the Admiralty bought her from P&O. On 23 June she disembarked her troops at
Kilindini Kilindini Harbour is a large, natural deep-water inlet extending inland from Mombasa, Kenya. It is at its deepest center, although the controlling depth is the outer channel in the port approaches with a dredged depth of . It serves as the harbo ...
in
British East Africa East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was a British protectorate in the African Great Lakes, occupying roughly the same area as present-day Kenya, from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Cont ...
. The next day she reached the
British protectorate of Zanzibar British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
, where she took on a
seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tech ...
and bunkered. On 26 June, 31 seedies joined her crew. From 28 June 1916 ''Himalaya'' operated from Zanzibar along the coast of
German East Africa German East Africa (GEA; ) was a German colonial empire, German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Portugu ...
. She patrolled the coast, her seaplane provided
aerial reconnaissance Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or Strategy, strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including Artillery observer, artillery spott ...
, and her 6-inch guns contributed to the bombardment of German positions ashore. As a former passenger ship, ''Himalaya'' was also well-equipped to carry food and bake bread for British and Empire forces ashore. On 6 August 1916, ''Himalaya'' bombarded
Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam (, ; from ) is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of the Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over 7 million people, Dar es Salaam is the largest city in East Africa by population and the ...
railway station. Before dawn on 15 August 1916 a Royal Navy flotilla attacked
Bagamoyo Bagamoyo (''Mji wa Bagamoyo'', in Swahili) is a historic coastal town and capital of Bagamoyo District in the Pwani Region of Tanzania. Much of the settlement was founded at the end of the 18th century, though it is an extension of a much old ...
, bombarding German positions there and landing more than 300 troops and armed sailors to capture the town. The flotilla included the
auxiliary ship An auxiliary ship is a naval ship designed to support combatant ships and other naval operations. Auxiliary ships are not primary combatant vessels, though they may have some limited combat capacity, usually for purposes of self-defense. Auxili ...
, which carried both a
kite balloon A kite balloon is a tethered balloon which is shaped to help make it stable in low and moderate winds and to increase its lift. It typically comprises a streamlined envelope with stabilising features and a harness or yoke connecting it to the mai ...
and a seaplane. But ''Manica''s seaplane suffered an engine fault, so at 0553 hrs ''Himalaya'' left Zanzibar and steamed for Bagamoyo. At 0725 hrs she stopped to launch her seaplane, which flew ahead the last or so to Bagamoyo, dropped bombs on German positions, and then provided aerial observations to direct the naval bombardment. At 0854 hrs ''Himalaya'' reached the flotilla off Bagamoyo, and her
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
guns joined in the bombardment. On 18 August ''Himalaya'' bombarded the coastal town of
Mikindani Mikindani (''Mji wa kale wa Mikindani'' in Swahili language, Swahili) is a historic coastal town located in Mtwara-Mikindani District of Mtwara Region in Tanzania. The name comes from the Swahili word ''mikinda'' which means "young coconut trees". ...
, under the direction of her seaplane. On 3 September the German authorities surrendered Dar es Salaam to British forces. On 13 September ''Himalaya'' returned to Mikindani carrying
Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
, who went ashore by boat and took the town without resistance. On 16 September she did the same at
Lindi Lindi is a historic coastal town in southern Tanzania and the administrative center of the Lindi Region, the least populated region in the country. Situated at the head of Lindi Bay along the Indian Ocean, the town is located approximately 10 ...
. From 21 November until 5 December 1916 ''Himalaya'' shuttled troops from Zanzibar, Kilindini and
Tanga Tanga may refer to: Places Burkina Faso * Tanga, Andemtenga, a town in eastern Burkina Faso * Tanga, Sidéradougou, a village in western Burkina Faso * Tanga-Pela, a village in northern-central Burkina Faso Tanzania * Tanga Region, Tanzanian a ...
to
Kilwa Kisiwani Kilwa Kisiwani ('Kilwa Island') is an island, national historic site, and hamlet community located in the township of Kilwa Masoko, the district seat of Kilwa District in the Tanzanian region of Lindi in southern Tanzania. Kilwa Kisiwani is th ...
and Dar es Salaam, including men of the
King's African Rifles The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a British Colonial Auxiliary Forces regiment raised from Britain's East African colonies in 1902. It primarily carried out internal security duties within these colonies along with military service elsewher ...
. On the morning of 6 January 1917 a
Short Brothers Short Brothers plc, usually referred to as Shorts or Short, is an aerospace company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Shorts was founded in 1908 in London, and was the first company in the world to make production aeroplanes. It was particu ...
seaplane took off from ''Himalaya'' for a reconnaissance flight over the Rufiji Delta. The aircraft failed to return, so ''Himalaya'' embarked a replacement seaplane and aircrew from HMS ''Manica''. The missing seaplane had suffered engine failure so its pilot, Flt Lt
Edwin Moon Squadron Leader Edwin Rowland Moon DSO* (8 June 1886 – 29 April 1920) was an English aviation pioneer who served in the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force during the First World War. He was a prisoner of war and he was twice awarded ...
, made a forced landing in a creek. He and his observer, Cdr the Hon Richard Bridgeman, DSO, were unable to repair the aircraft, so they burned it and set off for the coast. The two airmen made and used a raft, which on 9 January was swept out to sea. Bridgeman was swept off the raft and Moon was unable to rescue him. A change of tide then swept the raft back to land, where
Askari An askari or ascari (from Somali, Swahili, and Arabic , , meaning 'soldier' or 'military', also 'police' in Somali) was a local soldier serving in the armies of the European colonial powers in Africa, particularly in the African Great Lakes, ...
Schutztruppe (, Protection Force) was the official name of the colonial troops in the African territories of the German colonial empire from the late 19th century to 1918. Similar to other colonial armies, the consisted of volunteer European commissioned a ...
captured Moon. He spent the remainder of hostilities as a prisoner of war. After the war, Moon was made a DSO for his bravery. On 29 January 1917 ''Himalaya'' left Lindi. She bunkered at Durban, and was in Simon's Town from 10 February. On 20 February an accident caused the death of a chief gunner, Joseph Elliott. An
inquest An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a cor ...
was held two days later, followed by an inquiry the next day. Elliott is buried at Simon's Town. ''Himalaya'' left Simon's Town on 7 March, bunkered again at
Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
, and then patrolled via Beira in
Portuguese Mozambique Portuguese Mozambique () or Portuguese East Africa () were the common terms by which Mozambique was designated during the period in which it was a Portuguese Empire, Portuguese overseas province. Portuguese Mozambique originally constituted a str ...
and Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar, where she arrived on 3 April. On 8 April she left Zanzibar and returned via Dar es Salaam, Beira and Durban to Cape Town, where she arrived on 24 April.


South Africa

''Himalaya'' stayed in Cape Town until 19 July 1917, including a week being
dry dock A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
ed from 10 to 17 May. From 21 July 1917 ''Himalaya'' patrolled from Simon's Town, covering the coast of
Cape Province The Province of the Cape of Good Hope (), commonly referred to as the Cape Province () and colloquially as The Cape (), was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa. It encompassed the old Cape Co ...
from
St Helena Bay Saint Helena Bay () is a settlement in West Coast District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Nicknamed by locals as ''Agterbaai'',''St Helena Bay.'' CapeWestCoast.org. http://www.capewestcoast.org/regions/town.php?town ...
in the west to
Mossel Bay Mossel Bay () is a harbour town of about 170,000 people on the Garden Route of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province. Mossel Bay lies 400 kilometres east of the country's seat of parliament, Ca ...
in the east.


Atlantic escort

From August 1917 until April 1918 ''Himalaya'' operated in the
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
. She escorted convoys, carried cargo, and carried
bullion Bullion is non-ferrous metal that has been refined to a high standard of elemental purity. The term is ordinarily applied to bulk metal used in the production of coins and especially to precious metals such as gold and silver. It comes from ...
. Until February 1918 she was based at Simon's Town, where in October 1917 her armament was augmented by the addition of two
6-pounder gun 6-pounder gun or 6-pdr, usually denotes a gun firing a projectile weighing approximately . Guns of this type include: *QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss, a 57 mm naval gun of the 1880s; a similar weapon was designed by Driggs-Schroeder for the US Navy ...
s. Between August 1917 and January 1918 ''Himalaya'' made three round trips between South Africa and
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
. On most of those trips she escorted convoys. However, in October 1917 when she took bullion from Cape Town to Sierra Leone, and in November she took bullion to St Helena before continuing to Sierra Leone. At Simon's Town on 24 February 1918 all seedies were discharged from ''Himalaya''s crew. Seedies had been part of her crew since June 1916. Between March and May 1918 ''Himalaya'' brought bullion from South Africa to England. She left Cape Town on 2 March and went via
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, where she was in
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
from 16 March until 6 April. She reached Devonport in England on 7 May, and unloaded her bullion the next day. In June 1918 ''Himalaya'' escorted a southbound convoy from England to Sierra Leone and then a northbound convoy from Sierra Leone back to England. On her return voyage she brought bullion from
Freetown Freetown () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, e ...
to Devonport. On 29 June ''Himalaya'' reached Devonport, where she unloaded her bullion and then the ammunition for her guns. On 16 July 1918 she was
paid off Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to placing a warship i ...
from the Royal Navy.


Crew losses

In almost four years in the Royal Navy, ''Himalaya'' never came under enemy attack and lost no personnel to enemy action. However, as well as Cdr Bridgeman and Chief Gunner Elliott in 1917 (see above) she lost four members of her complement to other causes. An
able seaman An able seaman (AB) is a seaman and member of the deck department of a merchant ship with more than two years' experience at sea and considered "well acquainted with his duty". An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination ...
in 1916 and a seedie in 1917 died and were
buried at sea Burial at sea is the disposal of human remains in the ocean, normally from a ship, boat or aircraft. It is regularly performed by navies, and is done by private citizens in many countries. Burial-at-sea services are conducted at many different ...
. A
midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...
was taken ill in 1916, died ashore in hospital and is buried in Dar es Salaam war cemetery. In 1917 a greaser died and was buried in Cape Town.


Fate

The Admiralty may have sold ''Himalaya'' back to P&O in Jun 1919. In 1921 she was laid up at
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
. The
Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for Business and Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
bought her in March 1922, and in April sold her on to the shipbrokers Stelp and Leighton of London. On 31 April the tugs ''Creteboom'' and ''Cretegaff'' towed ''Himalaya'' out of Southampton. On 14 May 1922 she reached
Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...
, where on 16 May work to scrap her began.


References


Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Himalaya (1892) 1892 ships World War I Auxiliary cruisers of the Royal Navy Ocean liners of the United Kingdom Seaplane tenders Ships built in Scotland Ships of P&O Steamships of the United Kingdom World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom