New Zealand - Hospital Ship - WW1 New Zealand Hospital Ship S.S. Marama, a floating hospital for the wounded New Zealand Troops, see notes below... - Photo is of ship leaving Port Chalmers - Unknown Photographer - Real Photo Postcard Format #332339 In 1915, the government requisitioned two of the Union Steam Ship Company’s newest passenger liners SS Maheno and SS Marama. Both were fitted out as hospital ships for service during the First World War. They were manned by the existing civilian officers and engineroom personnel, the medical staff being doctors, officers and other ranks from the NZ Medical Corps, and nurses from the New Zealand Nursing Service. In 1915, the government requisitioned two of the Union Steam Ship Company’s newest passenger liners SS Maheno and SS Marama. Both were fitted out as hospital ships for service during the First World War. They were manned by the existing civilian officers and engineroom personnel, the medical staff being doctors, officers and other ranks from the NZ Medical Corps, and nurses from the New Zealand Nursing Service. Maheno’s first medical complement had a Colonel in command, a matron and thirteen nurses, five medical officers, 61 orderlies, and chaplains. Maheno had entered service in 1905 and in 1914 had a refit with new machinery. She was operated on the New Zealand-Australia run when war broke out in 1914. The Union Steam Ship Company supplied the vessel, organised and paid the crew to run it and acted as port agents for the ship when overseas. It was under the control of the Army and War Department leased from the company. Known as His Majesty’s Hospital Ship [HMHS], their main task was to collect those men who were discharged from service on medical grounds and needed careful transportation home to New Zealand or to a main hospital in Britain. A full suite of medical services were provided however they were not equipped to deal with ‘shell-shock’ casualties. Most patients were bed-ridden or amputees. For instance, Maheno had eight medical wards, two operating theatres, x-ray machine, sterilising & anaesthetising rooms, laboratory, laundry, drying room, two lifts that could take stretchers. Given the medical knowledge of 1915, she was in effect a floating hospital. However, her job was only to transport. The operating theatres were for men who needed medical attention before they could be landed or to deal with wounds partially treated ashore. Under the terms of the convention, these ships had to be painted white with a green stripe on the hull and Red Crosses and when they ran at night they kept their lights on. They had free passage of the sea and were not to be attacked by any of the belligerents although, there were some sunk by U-boats during the war, our ships were not attacked.... continued on link http://navymuseum.co.nz/hmhs-maheno-hospital-ship/