HMS Rhododendron - Lusitania and Monowai

[Brian Probetts (Site Admin)]

Hi Team
Some interesting events from this month in history
Regards
Peter Hogg
RNZNA South Canterbury
New Zealand

Attached pics of Rhododendron, Lusitania and Monowai.

05 May 1918 HMS Rhododendron (a Q-ship) is torpedoed and sunk by U-70 in the North Sea. 15 men are lost, four of whom were killed during the initial explosion and eleven of whom drowned during the evacuation of the ship.


HMS RHODODENDRON

07 MAY 1915 As Germany waged submarine warfare against British troops during WW1 the RMS LUSITANIA was identified and torpedoed by the German U-boat U-20 and sank in 18 minutes, killing 1,198 and leaving 761 survivors. The sinking caused public outrage, and contributed to the American entry into the conflict. The image of the Lusitania became an iconic symbol in military recruiting campaigns of why the war was being fought.

Tuck's Oilette postcard of Lusitania.


From “On Deck” May 1945 (Courtesy of Master Mariners NZ)
News has now been received that the Union Company’s well-known liner Monowai was in the forefront of the landing of Allied troops in Normandy on D-Day on June 5 last year. Her participation in the operation was a success, there being no casaulties among the ship’s company, and her boats are reported to have been first ashore on her sector. Following the landing Monowai has carried over 100,000 passengers to the continent.
The Aorangi also played a part in the D-Day operations, acting as the mothership for 150 tugs. Both vessels are still on war service and the captains and most of the principal officers and engineers are New Zealanders.

HMS MONOWAI seen as an Assault Landing Ship (ASL)

She was involved in a landing at Taranto in February 1944, and then she was fully involved in the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944 that delivered some 1,800 commandos to Gold Beach during the Normandy Invasion. Of the 20 landing craft that departed from the Monowai that day, sadly only six returned as all of the others had been destroyed whilst in combat, mostly by mines during the landing. In 1945 she was placed on a shuttle service between Southampton and Le Havre. In all she made a good 45 North Sea crossings and carried around 73,000 troops to France.
Courtesy SS MARITIME

[Lou Barron]

Monowai the best ship i ever sailed on

[Jim Brady]

There was a very good reason why the Monowai was the best ship you ever sailed on Lou especialy when you saw the Liver Birds.
Regards.
Jim.B.