Now all roads lead to France and heavy is the tread
Of the living; but the dead returning lightly dance.
Edward Thomas, Roads

Thursday, May 12, 2016

HMHS Plassy

Contributed by Kimball Worcester

I came across this fascinating needlework while trolling the Internet for something completely different. Plassy served as a troopship (HMTS) but also significantly as a hospital ship (HMHS).
She was a P & O ship designed for passenger service, was launched in 1900, and served throughout the war. In 1924 Plassy was sold and scrapped at Genoa.

See this fascinating short film of King George V aboard the Plassy in 1917 reviewing the nurses and staff:
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675049922_hospital-ship-Plassig_King-George-V_King-talks-with-nurses_staff-is-reviewed

A Truly Beautiful Example of a Sailor's Handwork




Postcard of HMTS Plassy



Detail of the Rather Good Embroidery Work









4 comments:

  1. Thank you, Kimball, this was a really interesting entry. And the web site you gave us proves to be a great resource for me!
    David Beer

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    1. You're very welcome. This was a fun little find. Especially the film.
      BTW, the embroidery itself is 3,300 GBP. Oh, well.

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  2. I recently came across material on the U Boat campaign of targeting Entente hospital ships. It was an egregious campaign fanned by deliberate German false allegations of misuses of hospital ships as troop and war materiel transports. Justice was sought after the war, pursuing war crime actions against many U Boat commanders and crew, at the directive of the victors; prosecuted in Leipzig and tried in German Court. Why not in British Court is a good read in historical reality. Several were acquitted and most charged just vanished. See HMCHS (His Majesty’s Canadian Hospital Ship) Llandovery Castle June 27, 1918
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMHS_Llandovery_Castle

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much. Will check this out. Interesting topic you've brought up.

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