14 Facts About SS Medic

SS Medic was a steamship built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast for the White Star Line which entered service in 1899.

SS Medic was the second Jubilee-class ship to be built for the Australia service.

SS Medic was launched at Belfast on 15 December 1898, but her completion was delayed until 6 July the following year, so that improvements that were being made to her earlier sister Afric could be incorporated into her construction.

SS Medic inaugurated White Star's new Australia service with her maiden voyage, which started from Liverpool on 3 August 1899, she was then the largest ship ever to sail to Australia.

On her first return trip to the UK, SS Medic carried Australian troops to South Africa for the Boer War which had started in October 1899, and continued to carry troops to the conflict until it concluded in 1902.

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In October 1900, while SS Medic was anchored in Neutral Bay, Sydney Harbour, Charles Lightoller and some shipmates were involved in the "Fort Denison Incident", a prank intended to fool locals into believing a Boer raiding party was attacking the city.

On 15 June 1907 SS Medic collided with the 4,134-ton petroleum tank steamer Turbo in fog in the English Channel off the Kent coast while sailing from London to Liverpool.

SS Medic initially continued on her scheduled commercial service following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, because of her large refrigerated meat carrying capacity, however she carried Australian troops to Britain, as such she gained the designation HMAT A7.

In May 1915 SS Medic was refitted at Sydney to carry 531 troops and 500 horses, to make her better suited to her wartime role.

SS Medic was later commandeered under the British Liner Requisition Scheme in October 1917, and was used as a troopship, until being released from government service in March 1919, after which she returned to the Australian service.

In 1920 SS Medic underwent a refit where her passenger accommodation was modernised and reconfigured to carry 260 passengers in second class.

SS Medic continued in service on the Australian route for most of the 1920s, in consort with the Persic, Runic and Suevic.

SS Medic made her last voyage for White Star on this route in December 1927; following her return she was laid up for disposal after 28 years of service.

SS Medic met her end on 12 September 1942 while sailing in the Atlantic convoy ON 127, when she was hit and damaged by two torpedoes fired by the German U-boat U-211.