Subsequent name: Suntemple, Baltara
Official Number: 124676
Class: Hospital Ship
Pennant No: YA18
Signal Letters: HPGQ (1919)
Laid down:
Builder: Harland & Wollf, Belfast
Launched: 6 May 1909
Into Service: December 1915
Out of service: 1922 sold to Mitchell Cotts & Company
Fate: 11 January 1929 wrecked at the mouth of the Vistula.
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
6 May 1909 launched by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast as Yard Nr: 405 named BERBICE for Royal Mail Steam Packet Co Ltd, London
22 May 1909 the Lloyds List newspaper reported –
8 July 1909 completed as a luxury liner and replaced the earlier SOLENT which was scrapped
10 July 1909 sailed Belfast Lough to Southampton arriving 11 July 1909
BERBICE on her maiden voyage to Southampton
2 August 1909 sailed Southampton for Barbados
11 August 1909 arrived at Barbados
2 September 1909 at Castries Harbour, St. Lucia passenger Mrs E Joseph discharged dead – heart failure
5 October 1909 arrived at Barbados from St. Lucia
14 November 1909 off Trinidad passenger L Curtis discharged dead – malaria
19 November 1909 arrived at Barbados from St Vincent
7 December 1909 sailed from Barbados
14 December 1909 arrived at Barbados from St Vincent
3 January 1910 arrived at Barbados from Trinidad
Berbice as a commercial liner
29 January 1910 sailed Havana, Cuba
11 Ferbruary 1910 at Dominica Fireman J Jackman discharged dead – drowned
26 February 1910 sailed Havana, Cuba
5 March 1910 sailed Santiago de Cuba
31 March 1910 arrived at Demorara
5 April 1910 sailed Barbados for St Thomas
19 April 1910 arrived at Barbados from St Lucia
3 May 1910 arrived at Barbados from St. Vincent
13 May 1910 arrived at Montserrat from Dominica
12 July 1910 arrived at Barbados from St. Lucia
3 August 1910 sailed from St. Georges, Grenada for St. Vincent
23 August 1910 arrived at Barbados
27 August 1910 arrived at St. Georges, Grenada from Barbados
27 October 1910 arrived at St Kitts Nevis
15 November 1910 arrived at Barbados
24 November 1910 arrived at St Kitts
26 November 1910 sailed St Kitts
2 December 1910 sailed for St Thomas
5 January 1912 arrived at Antigua
26 April 1912 arrived at Antigua and sailed the same day for St. Kitts
13 June 1912 arrived at Brinnumus Krauge (?)
14 September 1912 arrived at Antigua from St Kitts sailing later the same day for Montserrat
19 September 1912 at Trinidad passenger Gerald Garvey discharged dead – natural causes
23 March 1913 aground on the coast of Margarita reported that she could not be refloated without assistance
25 March 1913 the Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail reported …
30 March 1913 having grounded at Margarita managed to get off with some assistance
17 April 1913 dry docked and surveyed at Port of Spain, Trinidad – vessel found to be undamaged
27 February 1914 arrived at Montserrat from Dominica sailing later to Antigua
12 March 1914 arrived at Demerara
30 January 1915 arrived at Trinidad from Grenada
1 June 1915 Commander John L Gall RD RNR appointed as Master
14 June 1915 arrived at Trinidad from Demerara
8 November 1915 arrived at Plymouth from Trinidad and Antigua and onwards to the Port of London with 214 passengers of which 209 were members of the Army
4 December 1915 requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as a hospital ship – name unchanged
18 August 1916 Boy 1st Class Edwin Daniel Saunders of HMS ACHILLES discharged dead
September 1916 Res. Nursing Sister Miss H R Shaw appointed to the RN Medial team onoard
30 November 1916 in the North Sea patient T/Engineer Sub Lieutenant Bruce Fleming RNR from HMS TEUTONIC discharged dead – natural causes. He is buried in Voe Old Churchyard, Shetland
4 January 1917 at Busta Voe, Shetland received one rating from HMS PATIA for medical treatment
9 January 1917 at Busta Voe, Shetland two sick cases from HMS VICTORIAN admitted onboard for medical treatment
12 January 1917 at Busta Voe, Shetland one Corporal RMLI injured onboard HMS CHANGUINOLA and admitted onboard for medical treatment
13 January 1917 at Busta Voe, Shetland one Petty Officer, one AB and one Fireman from HMS CHANGUINOLA all admitted onboard for treatment
21 January 1917 at Busta Voe, Shetland one AB and one Private RMLI refered from HMS ANDES for medical treatment
HMS ANDES
February 1917 Nursing Sister Miss Leonora C Hooper appointed to the RN Medial team onoard
18 February 1917 one Private RMLI transfered to HMS ANDES at Liverpool after medical treatment
9 March 1917 arrived and anchored at Olna Firth
17 March 1917 at Busta Voe, Shetland Midshipman J Howell RNR from HMS CHANGUINOLA admitted onboard for medical treatment
18 June 1917 at Scapa Flow from HMS COMMONWEALTH received onboard for medical treatment one ERA (1) and one painter (2)
HMS COMMONWEALTH
30 June 1917 at Scapa Flow together with HMHS’s AGADIR, GARTH CASTLE, PLASSY and MAGPIE II
16 July 1917 Temporary Surgeon Hubert T Depree MB appointed to the RN Medical team onboard
5 August 1917 Deck Hand John Robert Sinclair from HM Drifter Thirtytwo, a patient, discharged dead
Deck Hand John Robert Sinclair
9 October 1917 Able Seaman Peter John Sinclair RNR from HMS ELVY died onboard and was buried at sea. He is remembered with pride on the Shetland War Memorial overlooking Papa Stour and on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial
15 April 1918 Surgeon J B Ronaldson MB appointed to the RN Medical team on board
18 May 1918 3rd Engineer Charles Henry Partridge, aged 31, discharged dead. He died on Hospital Ship Agadir from typhoid fever and is buried in Royal Naval Cemetery, Lyness, Scapa Flow. Grave Plot C Grave 2
30 June 1918 at Invergordon
20 September 1918 patient Able Seaman Albert Frederick Stevenson J43488 from HMS PEMBROKE discharged dead. He is buried in St Barts Churchyard, Horley
7 October 1918 Surgeon W A Sewell appointed to the RN Medical Team onboard
22 October 1918 at Granton received seven ratings from HMS TALBOT for medical examination
25 October 1918 at Rosyth received one officer and thirteen ratings from HMS TALBOT for medical examination
26 October 1918 at Rosyth received one rating from HMS TALBOT for medical examination
31 October 1918 patient Lieutenant Frank C Peet Royal Navy from HMS ROCKET discharged dead from natural causes. He is buried in Dalmeny & Queensferry Cemetery in plot 442
6 November 1918 in the Firth of Forth a patient Able Seaman George Clarence Robinson J/22827 from HMS IRON DUKE discharged dead onboard HMHS Berbice – pneumonia. He is buried in Hull Western Cemetery in grave 482.46490
Able Seaman George C Robinson
on the same day patient Able Seaman Frederick William McGillivray J/74723(Dev) from HMS REVENGE discharged dead from pneumonia
Able Seaman Frederick W McGillivray
AB McGillivray is buried in Boldon Cemetery, Durham in grave A C 251
19 November 1918 Able Seaman William John Halcrow MMR discharged dead – died from pneumonia. He is buried in Dunfermline Cemetery in grave ED 2636
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
15 March 1919 secured to No: 16 buoy at Devonport
7 April 1919 Surgeon Sub Lieutenant A M McGillivray Royal Navy appointed to the RN medical team on board
19 May 1919 Boy 1st Class John T Legg J/78784(Dev) discharged dead having been involved in an accident on HMS RAMILLIES. He is buried is Portland Naval Cemetery in grave 591
16 June 1919 alongside in No: 3 Basin at Devonport
12 July 1919 Surgeon Lieutenant James S Hamilton Royal Navy appointed to the ships RN medical team on board
25 July 1919 Surgeon Commander Edwyn R Grazebrook Royal Navy appointed to the ships RN medical team on board
11 August 1919 Surgeon Lieutenant W Michael Royal Navy appointed to the ships RN medical team on board
15 August 1919 sailed Invergordon for Leith
4 September 1919 arrived at Biorko Sound, Baltic
19 September 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic received Lieutenant Payne Royal Navy and Lieutenant Warne RAF from HMS VINDICTIVE as patients
4 October 1919 Sick Berth Attendant Thomas Henry Handel M 7794 discharged dead. He is buried in Koivisto General Cemetery and remembered on the Archangel Memorial, Russian Federation
15 October 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic received one rating from HMS DAUNTLESS for medical treatment
HMS DAUNTLESS
18 October 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic received one rating from HMS DAUNTLESS for medical treatment
19 October 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic received four ratings from HMS DAUNTLESS for medical treatment
21 October 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic discharged one rating to HMS DAUNTLESS after medical treatment
23 October 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic discharged two ratings to HMS DAUNTLESS and received one rating from the same ship for medical treatment
1 November 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic discharged one rating to HMS DAUNTLESS after medical treatment
4 November 1919 at Biorko Sound, Baltic discharged two ratings to HMS DAUNTLESS after medical treatment
11 November 1919 at Libau, Latvia discharged four ratings to HMS DAUNTLESS after medical treatment
24 November 1919 anchored at Biorko Sound in the Baltic
5 December 1919 sailed Biorko Sound, Baltic
10 December 1919 berthed at Revel (now Tallin – capital of Estonia) – six ratings from HMS VINDICTIVE admitted on board for treatment
HMHS Berbice Christmas Card 1919
14 January 1920 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
15 January 1920 Surgeon Commander R Kennedy MB Royal Navy and Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Hugh F Briggs MB, ChB Ed Royal Navy appointed to the ship. Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Briggs Royal Navy promoted Surgeon Commander 14 May 1921. He left the ship for a new appointment on 19 January 1922
Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Hugh F Briggs MB, ChB Ed Royal Navy
16 February 1920 arrived at Malta
3 August 1920 a patient – Gunner H Cumstead discharged dead from typhoid
14 August 1920 arrived at Valletta, Malta
20 August 1920 purchased by the Admiralty for further hospital ship duties, re-crewed as an RFA and was renamed RFA BERBICE
Some of RFA Berbice’s medical crew
1 January 1921 sailed Malta for Gibraltar
4 January 1921 Mr J A Brown RFA appointed as Chief Engineer Officer and Paymaster Commander R T Johnson Royal Navy also appointed to the ship
5 January 1921 berthed at Gibraltar from Malta
6 January 1921 sailed Gibraltar for Portsmouth
10 January 1921 Captain Alexander H Hardy RFA appointed as Master
10 January 1921 Surgeon Commander Robert B Scribner MID Royal Navy appointed to the medical team on the ship
Surgeon Commander Robert B Scribner MID Royal Navy
21 January 1921 the Times newspaper reported –
1 February 1921 sailed Gibraltar for Malta
9 March 1921 at Constantinople received one Petty Officer from HMS APHIS for medical treatment
18 May 1921 Captain William Clinton RFA appointed as Master – previously Master of RFA SLAVOL
23 May 1921 sailed from Constantinople for Malta
13 June 1921 berthed at Portsmouth Harbour
15 June 1921 a Mediterrean General Memorandum was issued by the Commander in Chief Admiral Sir John de Robeck GCB, GCMG concerning RFA BERBICE
the Memorandum continued in detail concerning the receipt of patients and their subsequent discharge
21 June 1921 sailed Portsmouth for Malta arriving on 30 June 1921
4 July 1921 sailed Malta for Constantinople with requisitioned collier Agnes Duncan
Collier Agnes Duncan
31 July 1921 at Buyukdere, Turkey patient Able Seaman Charles Edward Osman received from HMS Blenheim discharged dead following an appendix operation
5 November 1921 sailed Malta
9 November 1921 berthed at Gibraltar from Malta
10 November 1921 at Gibraltar patient Bosun Richard Smale from HMS KING GEORGE V discharged dead – heart failure. He was buried in North Front Cemetery, Gibraltar. The ship sailed from Gibraltar
15 November 1921 arrived at Devonport
28 November 1921 Surgeon Commander G T Verry Royal Navy appointed to the medical team onboard
9 December 1921 sailed Devonport for Gibraltar
14 December 1921 berthed at Gibraltar
6 February 1922 sailed Malta for Pollensa Bay
15 February 1922 Yeoman of Signals Herbert Arthur Allen a patient from HMS IRON DUKE discharged dead – acute meningitis
23 February 1922 sailed Pollensa Bay for Malta
24 February 1922 the Hampshire Telegraph newspaper reported …
11 March 1922 arrived at Constantinople
27 March 1922 arrived at Malta
31 March 1922 sailed from Malta for Gibraltar
6 April 1922 berthed at Gibraltar
11 April 1922 arrived at Devonport
19 April 1922 sailed Devonport for Portsmouth anchoring at Spithead the same evening
20 April 1922 arrived Portsmouth for the final time for disposal. Sold as part of defence cuts
Press Cutting from Portsmouth Evening News 20 April 1922
1922 purchased by Sun Shipping Co Ltd (Mitchell, Cotts & Co, Managers) London and renamed SUNTEMPLE
23 September 1922 sailed Portsmouth Harbour
1924 sold to United Baltic Corp. renamed Baltara
1925 converted to oil fuel burning
12 January 1926 in the River Thames when steaming up river was in collision with D P & L Steamer Dundee. Both ships were damaged
11 January 1929 grounded off the Eastern Entrance to the Weichsee River while on passage from Libau (Latvia) to Gdynia and in tremendous seas became a total loss. Her 43 passengers and 40 crew were all landed safely
22 February 1929 the Sheffield Daily Telegraph reported –
WRECK IN A FROZEN SEA – the wrecked steamer Baltara which stranded off Danzig Harbour over a month ago has been frozen in
28 September 1929 the Sheffield Daily Telegraph reported –
See ‘Non RFA Awards’ for medals to Nursing Sisters who served on this ship.
Ships of the same name
Berbice. A Schooner of 121 bm purchased in 1780 and condemned on the 12 September 1788.
Berbice. A Schooner of 120 bm, 73 x 25 ft armed with 2 x 12 pdr Carronade, 6 x 3pdr. An ex Prize purchased in 1793, she was wrecked in November 1796 off Dominica.
Berbice. A Schooner of 78 bm, purchased in 1804, the ship foundered in 1806 near Demerera.