HMAT Borda, November 1915

This unframed, mounted photograph of HMAT Borda is surrounded by the signatures of the officers and nurses on board the troopship, during a voyage from Egypt to Sydney, November 1915.

HMAT Borda was one of five liners owned by the P&O Line, for single-class service from England to Australia. It was leased by the Australian Government for the transportation of troops during the First World War.  This souvenir is a window into the lives of those who were returning to Australia in November 1915. 

Each signature has been researched and a brief entry created to highlight those who were aboard in November 1915, with links to their service records.

Top - left to right

• Thomas JONES, Lieutenant, 1st Infantry Battalion
• David Day DAWSON, Lieutenant Colonel, 25th Infantry Battalion, Gallipoli
• George Henry HOLLAND, Colonel, O.C. Troopship Mashobra
• Alfred Walter CAMPBELL, Major (Doctor, Neurologist, Pathologist) Australian Amy Medical Service
• George Vernon STEPHEN, Lieutenant Colonel, O.C. Troopship Horarta
• William Charles MARKWELL,  Lieutenant Colonel, O.C. Troopship Themistocles
• Colin Dunlop Wilson RANKIN, Lieutenant Colonel, O.C. Troopship Ayrshire
• Walter SCRIVEN, Lieutenant Colonel, O.C. Troopship Osterley
• Thomas PYE, Lieutenant Colonel, O.C. Troopship Armidale
• Alfred Ernest CHAPMAN, Lieutenant Colonel, Acting Commanding Officer, 18th Infantry Battalion, Gallipoli
• Stanley Seymour ARGYLE, Major, (Doctor, later Sir & Premier of Victoria, S.M.O. HMAT Borda
• James Vincent O’LOGHLIN, Lieutenant Colonel, O.C. Troopship Morea
• William Stanley De COURCY-IRELAND, Lieutenant, 10th Infantry Battalion

Right - top to bottom

• Stanley Roy CLEEVE, Lieutenant, Divisional Ammunition Park & 9th & 10th Machine Gun Companies
• Vernon Hermann ROBLEY, Lieutenant
• Edith Florence AVENELL, Staff Nurse, No.1 Australian General Hospital
• James Percy Alexander MURRAY, Lieutenant, 5th Infantry Battalion & 24th Infantry Battalion
• Alice Grace DOUGLAS, Sister, No.1 Australian General Hospital
• Lily Malcolm DAVIES, Staff Nurse, No.2 Australian General Hospital

Bottom - left to right

• Francis Henry THRIFT, Major Adjudant
• Thomas Joseph FARROW, Warrant Officer, 1 Divisional Signal Company
• William Donald OLIVER, Lieutenant, 8th Light Horse Regiment
• Lucretia Flower SMART, Acting Matron (Nurse), No.2 Australian General Hospital
• Richard William DEWSON, Warrant Officer, 2nd Australian Army Services Corps
• J.S. ? JACKSON, Lieutenant Colonel
• James LEWIS, Warrant Officer, Armoury Artificer, 1st Field Artillery Brigade
• J. ANDERSON (not identified)
• ? MORTLOCK, 2nd Officer, HMAT Borda
• Nellie Clarice Richardson ALLWORTH, Staff Nurse, No.2 Australian General Hospital
• Florence Katherine BARNARD, Staff Nurse, No. 2 Australian General Hospital
• Henry RANDALL or KENDALL (not identified)
• Frederick KRICHELDORFF [aka Fredick Kay] Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion, Gallipoli

Left - top to bottom & centre

• George Alfred McLEOD, Major, Light Horse Transport Officer, 4 voyages
• Edward Clyde PADMAN, Major, 27th Infantry Battalion
• John BOARDMAN, Captain (Chaplain) 
• Robert WILLIAMS, Captain (Chaplain)
• George READ, Major (Doctor) Medical Officer for convalescents, per HMAT Borda
• Charles Henry SMITH-HOZIER, Captain (Doctor) No.2 Australian General Hospital
• G.A. WELLINGTON, Commander, HMAT Borda (no further information available)
• James ROWELL, Colonel, O.C, Troops, completed 4 voyages

Their voyage from Egypt to Melbourne took over 4 weeks, and many friendships would have been made during that time. Several onboard publications were produced, the one shown above, The Borda News is held at the National Library of Australia.