Summary
Souvenir menu card, HMAT Warilda (A69), J. Sim - Commander. For dinner held Sunday 5 March 1916. Contains printed menu, list of military officers on board and blank page intended for autographs.
The SS Warilda was requisitioned by the Commonwealth and fitted out as a transport ship in August 1915. As the HMAT Warilda it made two trips to Egypt and one to England, carrying more than 7,000 troops. The SS Warilda was converted to a hospital ship in July 1916. It was sunk on 3 August 1918, with a loss of 123 lives, including all the engine room staff and all the occupants of one of its wards.
This menu relates to a voyage which departed Melbourne on 8 February 1916. By the date of this menu the Warilda would have probably been close to its destination. One of its passengers, Sergeant Makin of the 21st Battalion, reports disembarking at Port Suez on 9 March.
The menu was amongst records of the 24th Battalion Association, defunct 23/4/1982.
Description of Content
SOUVENIR MENU CARD, H. M. A. T. WARILDA (A69), DINNER 5/3/1916. CREAM CARD FOLDED, PRINTED MENU LIST OF MILITARY OFFICERS ON BOARD. PHOTOGRAPH OF SHIP ON FRONT. DEFUNCT 23:4:1982
Physical Description
Cream coloured card with single fold forming four pages. Menu printed inside. Features black and white photograph of ship on the front.
More Information
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Collection Names
Military Memorabilia Collection, Returned and Services League (RSL) Collection
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Victorian Branch, Returned & Services League of Australia Limited (RSL), 24 Feb 1986
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Organisation Named
24th Battalion Association, 15 Mar 1916
Part of records from association, defunct 23 Apr 1982. -
Ship Named
HMAT Warilda, 15 Mar 1916
Part of records from association, defunct 23 Apr 1982. -
Inscriptions
Printed on front: H.M.A.T. WARILDA/(A69)/J. SIM COMMANDER/ SOUVENIR/Sunday, March 5th, 1916
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
250 mm (Width), 170 mm (Height)
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References
'SS Warilda: troopship, hospital ship, ambulance transport, wreck ', Australian War Memorial, [Link 1] accessed 6 Mar 2015. Description of the voyage of the 1916 Warilda in the AWM collection in the diary of James Joseph Makin, [Link 2] accessed 21/10/2019. J. Milward, 'SS Warilda:Ttroopship, Hospital Ship, Ambulance Transport, Wreck', Australian War Memorial [Link 3] accessed 21/10/2019.
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Keywords
Militaria: Australian, Military Memorabilia, World War I, 1914-1918, Menus