Tuesday, October 23, 2018

MV 'Oranje' as a hospital ship, WW2


"In 1941 the Netherlands Government offered to the Governments of Australia and New Zealand the MV Oranje, a ship of 22,000 tons, for use as a hospital ship to convey Australian and New Zealand sick and wounded from the Middle East. This offer was gladly accepted by the two governments.

"The ship, which had been completed in Amsterdam only in 1939, was partially converted in Batavia to its new purpose and sailed to Sydney to be fully equipped and completed as a hospital ship. In April 1941 the New Zealand War Cabinet sent the DGMS (Army and Air) and the DQMG to inspect the Oranje and discuss the staffing and equipment with Australian officers.

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