Goorkha
Ship Number
311
Vessel Type
Passenger Ship
Built
Belfast
Yard
East Yard
Slip Number
10
Launch Date
23 January 1897
Delivered
28 August 1897
Owner
Union Steamship Co.
Weight
6286 grt
BP Length
430 feet
Breadth
52 feet
No. of Screws
Twin
Speed (approx)
12.5 knots
Propulsion
Triple expansion constructed in Belfast
Official No.
106917
Registered
Southampton
Fate
Scrapped
Goorkha

[Dickinson Collection]
One funnel, three masts, twin screw, speed 12.5 knots, accommodation for 55-1st, 70-2nd and 70-3rd class passengers she was sister of the Gascon she was built for the Intermediate service and transferred to Union-Castle on 8th March 1900 when the companies merged.
 
In 1910 she was moved to the East Africa service where she remained until 20th October 1914 when she was commissioned as a hospital ship with 408 beds.
 
On 10th October 1917 she was mined off Malta and all 362 patients and medical staff including 17 nurses were evacuated without any casualties in 35 minutes. She was then towed into Malta where on 18th October she was decommissioned and returned to the company for repairs and resumption of commercial services.
 
She was laid up at Netley,  Southampton Water in 1926 and eventually broken up by Thomas W. Ward in 1928.