I have just acquired a photo of this ship, scan attached, but cannot pin down the period it comes from. It looks to me like a ship from around WWI (a two funnel liner of the same name and company - Ellerman Lines - was torpedoed in 1940). I have tried a google search etc but it keeps taking me back to the later ship.
I have found photos online of other City ships which look like this one, all of which state they were built around 1908 or similar. Has anyone any views or sources which might confirm this?
My interest in this? City of Benares was one of the British troopships which transported the Portuguese Army to France in 1917
Alan
I have found the following links relating to ss City of Bernares in WWI:
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/topic/152872-hospital-ship-war-diaries-1915/
(mentioned 3 or 4 times)
Included in post 21 is the following:
(CITY OF) BENARES:
Title Gallipoli - Phase 1. Hospital ships, BENARES, April 1915 (Part 6 of 8)
Contents date range 1915 - 1915
Series number AWM25
Control symbol 367/102 PART 6
Item barcode 690134
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=401765.9
http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?18427-Passenger-lists
The following link shows that the ss City of Benares was built in 1902, served as a troopship 1914-18 and scrapped in 1933. It appears to have been the 4th ship named ss City of Benares up to that point.
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/ellerman4.shtml
Mike 8) 8) ;D