HMHS Rewa

About

HMHS Rewa was a steamship originally built for the British-India Steam Navigation Company for their mail and passenger service but requisitioned in August 1914 and fitted out for use as a British hospital ship during the First World War. On 4 January 1918, she was hit and sunk by a torpedo from the German U-boat U-55.

History: Rewa was ordered in 1905 by the British India Steam Navigation Company (BI) from William Denny & Bros at Dumbarton at the same time as sister ship Rohilla from Harland & Wolff of Belfast. They differed mainly in their engines: Rewa mounted triple screws with steam turbines, while Rohilla had a pair of quadruple expansion steam engines, also made by Harland & Wolff, and twin screws. Rohilla's engines totalled 8,000 indicated horsepower (6,000 kW), producing 16.6 knots (30.7 km/h; 19.1 mph) on sea trials. Although ordered for the London to Calcutta service, increased competition prompted BI to design the two sisters to be suitable also as troopships.

The British India Company's transport Rewa was run aground at the Suez Canal on 26 November 1906, blocking the canal, and was refloated by the next day. In 1913 she entered the Suez Canal from Karachi...