HMT Rohilla - Completed thank you

[Evie]

Hi

I am trying to build up a picture of the life of my hubbie's step grandfather who he never knew and wondered if someone could help.
In 1912 a postcard was sent home from HMT Rohilla in September of that year. It had called at Gibraltar, then Malta on the 13th September and hoped to reach Egypt 4 days later. Could anyone tell me why it was going to Egypt at this particular time please, would it just have a certain regiment on board and was it just on routine duties? Many thanks.

Evie

[kyt]

SS Rohilla was taken over from the P&O in 1908, and was designated a Troopship until 1914, when it was converted in to a Hospital Ship. She was shipwrecked in October 1914.

During the period that you mention she would have used to transfer troops between Britain, Gib, Malta and Egypt. Egypt was essentially a colony, and so had permenant troop presence. Have you looked for his service records to see which unit he was in?

K

[Evie]

Hi Kyt

Thanks for the information it has been very helpful. I know that (with the help of RC's) during the war he was an officer in the 1st Bn Welsh Reg. Whether he was in that regiment in 1912 I don't really know.

Regards Evie

Just had a look on his medal card and it says date of entry 19 Jan 1915

[kyt]

What was his full name - it maybe to find his pre-war unit from the LG, and The Times.

K

[Evie]

Hi Kyt

He was called George Kirby and born 1890 Islington, son of Walter John Kirby. I believe he was in the LG but only because of his commission. This was found by Phil (forester) 'Gazette Issue 30657, 26th April 1918, page 5143' in Feb posting. It doesn't seem to mention anything before the war.

Evie

[kyt]

Ah, that makes things more difficult. But a bit more about the ship. It appears, from the link below, and from The Times that it travelled as far as India:

http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/rohilla.html

And this book may have some pre-war history in it:

Into the Maelstrom: The Wreck of HMHS Rohilla by Colin Brittain

K

[mmm45]

Think this was his MIC??

Just need a number cruncher to look into Service numbers and work out some dates??

 

[Evie]

Hi

Thanks to both for your help.  Just got back in so will check out those links. The medal card was explained on the Feb posting and I wish I knew how to post that link to connect the two to save anybody any more work than necessary. Must try and learn how to do this, Gadget did it for me the other day on another posting which was very helpful. Maybe if I had his full service records that might tell us something but they are in Kew I understand?

Evie

[Evie]

Hi Kyt and mmm45

I have had a go at trying to link the two topics, if I have done it wrong please let me know for future reference. 

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,285271.msg1687896.html#msg1687896

Thanks once again.

Regards Evie