Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Members of First AIF, play Housie Housie on deck of HMAT Shropshire, enroute to Egypt from Australia in 1915.

As today's Canberra/Shropshire Association reunion luncheon, I was loaned a photograph by one of our members John Davies. It shows members of the First Australian Imperial force (AIF) on deck aboard HMAT Shropshire enroute to Egypt, playing Housie Housie. (these days called Bingo)

This ship with the same name as our wartime heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire, was built in  1911 as a Federal Steam Navigation Company Ltd of London ship in UK. She was 8,130 tons, and in WW1 was requisitioned along with othe British ships and a few captured enemy vessels to transport members of AIF overseas.

The ship was under the control of the Commonwealth of Australia until the 5th. Of August 1917.

On the 20th. Of March 1915, she sailed out of Melbourne carrying the 4th. Reinforcements of the 14th. Battalion AIF ( Victoria) 4 th Infantry Brigade.

Post WW1
In 1922, the ship was named Rotorua (2), then in 1936 she transferred to the New Zealand Shipping company, to be torpedoed in the North Atlantic in 1940 with a loss of 19 lives.

Badge of the 14th. Battalion AIF.