AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN HOSPITAL SHIPS

OF WORLD WAR I

At the outbreak of hostilities, the Austro-Hungarian Army expected to sweep down through Serbia. Although this was thought likely to be a move which would be relatively straight forward, it was recognised that there might be high casualty levels, and so a number of liners were requisitioned for medical evavuations:
 
  28 Jul 1914 Baron Call Lloyd Austriaco 3104t Spitalschiff I (a)
  Africa Lloyd Austriaco 4921t  

Neither ship appears to have actually been used as a hospital ship - Baron Call was used briefly to carry food supplies until returned to her owners on 25 Aug 1914; Africa was retained as Dampfer X for other duties. The Army also purchased the tender Lissa from the Triest Maritime Authority for moving injured soldiers within the Bocche di Cattaro (Bay of today’s Kotor, now in Montenegro).

Shortly, however, further requisitions were made:
 
  17 Aug 1914 Elektra Lloyd Austriaco 3199t Spitalschiff I (b)
  Metkovich Lloyd Austriaco 880t Spitalschiff II
  Tirol Lloyd Austriaco 2923t Spitalschiff III

These three vessels were returned to their owner on 16 Nov 1914, 14 Nov 1914 and 24 Dec 1914 respectively. A total of 742 soldiers were transported by them during 1914.

During 1915 there was no medevac traffic and it was not until January of the following year, when the Austro-Hungarian army began a new and successful invasion of Montenegro, and broke through to the Albanian coast in pursuit of the retreating Serbian army, that the use of hospital ships was resumed:
 
  04 Jan 1916 Tirol Rehired and fitted out at Fiume
  08 Jan 1916 Elektra Rehired and fitted out at Fiume

On 27 Feb 1916 Durazzo (today’s Durrës) fell to Austro-Hungarian troops and the harbour finally became available for Austro-Hungarian use. It remained in Austro-Hungarian hands until the final month of the war.
 
  16 or 26 Feb 1916 Wien Requisitioned from Lloyd Austriaco. (Damaged 29 Jun 1916 and returned to her owner) 7367t
  End of Feb 1916 Africa Reassigned as hospital ship again
  20 Oct 1916 Graf Wurmbrand Requisitioned from Tripcovich; ex-Lloyd Austriaco. Spitalschiff IV 952t
  ? ? 1916 Helouan Hired briefly from Lloyd Austriaco but not used 7367t
  ? ? 1916 Metkovich Rehired

Two further tenders were requisitioned for use transporting injured soldiers within the Bocche di Cattaro - Tivat (48t) from T Radanicich in 1916 and Szamos (138t) from Ungaro-Croata in 1917. This reflected the growing numbers of wounded who had to be evacuated from Albania. Numbers transported for the last three years of the war were:
 
    1916 12,388 1917 60,287 1918 55,345

This build-up meant further requisitioning of liners:
 
  ? ? 1917 Baron Call Again assigned as hospital ship and on this occasion converted for that use.
  ? Apr 1918
Argentina
Requisitioned from Austro-Americana. Spitalschiff VI. 5526t
  ? May 1918 Oceania Requisitioned from Austro-Americana; ready for use by 18 Aug 1918 as Spitalschiff V. 5497t
  ? ? 1918 Sofia Hohenberg Reassigned as a stationary hospital ship in the Bocche. ex-Austro-Americana. 5501t

The latter choice for use a hospital ship was perhaps unfortunate - she had been in use since 1914 as a frozen meat depot at Castelnuovo!

It should be noted that attacks on hospital ships did take place:
 
  Elektra Torpedoed by French submarine Ampère off Cape Plalanka 18 Mar 1916; out of service until early Sep 1916; returned to her owner 04 Dec 1916
  Metkovich Bombed by Italian aircraft at San Giovanni di Medua 16 or 18 Mar 1918; damage not repaired until after the war.
  Oceania Mined between Cape Rodoni and Durazzo 04 Oct 1918 and then attacked by enemy aircraft. Destroyed 15 Oct 1918.
  Tirol Mined off Durazzo 16 Apr 1916; 40 lost. Returned to service 07 Oct 1916

All the ships noted above were requisitions for the transport of soldiers, and operated under the Red Cross flag. The Kriegsmarine designated one single ship from the fleet as a hospital ship - Miramar, a paddle steamer of 1830t which had been the royal yacht during peacetime.
 
 

ADRIATIC

Naval Ship

Miramar Paddle steamer; ex-royal yacht.

Requisitioned Liners - Army/Red Cross Transports

  Africa * Reassigned as hospital ship from end of Feb 1916. Previously Dampfer X
  Argentina From Apr 1918. Spitalschiff VI.
  Baron Call * Requisitioned 28 Jul 1914 to 25 Aug 1914 but not actually used as a hospital ship. 1917 converted to hospital ship. Spitalschiff I (a)
  Elektra 17 Aug 1914 to 16 Nov 1914. 08 Jan 1916 to 18 Mar 1916 (torpedoed by French submarine). Beginning Sep 1916 to 04 Dec 1916.
  Graf Wurmbrand From 20 Oct 1916. Spitalschiff IV
  Metkovich 17 Aug 1914 to 14 Nov 1914. Again from 1916. Out of service from 16 or 18 Mar 1918 following Italian air raid on Durazzo. Spitalschiff II
  Oceania From May 1918 - into service 18 Aug 1918 following conversion work. Mined 04 Oct 1918 and deliberately blown up (scuttled) 15 Oct. Spitalschiff V
  Sofia Hohenberg * From 1918 reassigned as stationary hospital ship in Bocche di Cattaro.
  Tirol 17 Aug 1914 to 24 Dec 1914. Rehired 04 Jan 1916. Mined 16 Apr 1916; returned to service 07 Oct 1916. Spitalschiff III
  Wien * 16 or 26 Feb 1916 to 29 Jun 1916.
* denotes ship also served in other (non-hospital) role(s) at other times. NB The distinction between Army and Navy requisitions is less clear-cut than might appear as Naval personnel were in many cases used to man an Army requisition.

Requisitioned Tenders

  Lissa Bought by Army Jul 1914 
  Szamos From 1917
  Tivat  Hired 1916 then purchased
All three provided transport for injured soldiers within the Bocche di Cattaro.  

DANUBE FLOTILLA

Requisitioned by Navy
 
  Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand From 22 Mar 1917.
  Kulpa 26 Jul 1914 to 18 Apr 1917
  Traisen 26 Jul 1914 to 09 Feb 1917

Requisitioned by Army
 
  Elisabeth   Melk   Sophie   Szechnyi   Zsofia Hercegnö

    Barges I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII

  There is no evidence of Hospital Ships having served with the Vistulla, Bug or any of the other small flotillas.