HMHS Vasna was built by Alex, Stephen & Sons, Glasgow for the British
India Steam Navigation Co. Her gross tonnage was 5,767 with engines
that were twin screw, two triple expansion, 4, 700 IHP producing 16.03
Knots in trials, her service speed was 12.5 knots. She was designed
to carry 29 First Class Passengers, 27 Second Class Passengers, 1, 605
Deck Passengers and 129 Crew. She
was taken over in 1917 while being built and completed as a hospital
ship with 613 beds and 125 medical staff. In 1919 she was released back
to British India Steam Navigation Co and used on their Bombay to Basra
route until September 1939 when she was again taken over. Converted
at Mazagon Dockyard, Bombay to "Naval Hospital Ship No. 4"
with 278 beds and 73 medical staff, she was attached to the East Indies
Squadron.
She
was transferred to European waters in 1940 where she was based at Scapa
Flow and took part in the evacuation from Norway, and in December 1940
was damaged by air attack while at Liverpool. In Spring 1941 she was
based at Freetown with the South Atlantic Squadron for three months
and then returned to Scapa and the Home Fleet. She transferred to the
Eastern Fleet, based in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in Feb.1942 and was involved
with the Madagascar landings. In June 1943 she went to the Mediterranean,
then UK and back to the Mediterranean where she was seconded to Army
service for the Sicily landings, based at Tripoli. Returned to the Eastern
Fleet in 1944 and was at the Burma invasion and in 1945 was attached
to the British Pacific Fleet. She also carried Australian ex-prisoners
of war from Okinawa to Sydney and in March 1946 was refitted for the
BISN Co Persian Gulf service. In February 1951 she was sold for breaking
up and was scrapped at Blyth.
