ss Malwa, Paquebot marking and censor 4166

[Michael Dobbs]

I have received a query via the website regarding a postcard of P&O ss Malwa, its paquebot marking and Type CM3 censor 4166.

I responded by saying Daniel records that although it is a military censor mark it is one of a group (numbered 4160 to 4182 that were stated to have been issued to the Civil Censorship authorities in Malta (June 1916 to July 1919).

The person making the enquiry has since responded:

[color=maroon]By reading the letter [sic - postcard] ..and referring to the tongue in cheek comment about wishing you were here? I think this chap was on the ship when it was used as a troop carrier, as I am making the assumption that there were no pleasure cruises in the Mediterranean at that time. Where was the ship as I am sure the censer would not have allowed Marseille to remain on the card.[/color]
Any help or comments would be appreciated - thanks

Mike 

[Michael Dobbs]

I had nothing better to do (!!!!) - or rather didn't feel like doing anything else - so I decided to search online for references to the ss Malwa as a troopship to try and determine dates and voyages.  There are plenty of references online but very few that give any indication as to dates when she operated as a troopship - mainly just "during the First World War" or something similar - no dates or routes.  Most also refer to carrying troops of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).

Great Ships - the Postcard and Ephemera Collection of Jeff Newman
https://greatships.net/malwa
(this illustrates the postcard illustrated in my original post)

Requisitioned as a troopship during World War I, Malwa returned to P & O's Australian service in September 1920. She was scrapped in 1932.

Malwa Passenger History
[url=http://passengersinhistory.sa.gov.au/node/930982]http://passengersinhistory.sa.gov.au/node/930982[/url]
This shows cruises, mainly London to Port Adelaide, August 1912 to November 1914

Great War Forum:
[url=https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/150107-ships/]https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/150107-ships/[/url]

MALWA 1908
The MALWA was built in 1908 by Caird & Co, Greenock for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co (P&O Line). She was a 10,883 gross ton ship, length 562ft x beam 61.2ft x depth 24.6ft, two funnels, two masts and twin screw. There was passenger accommodation for 407-1st class and 200-2nd class. Launched on October 10th 1908, she sailed from Tilbury on her maiden voyage for Columbo, Melbourne and Sydney on January 29th 1909. In 1910 she was in collision with the British steamer NAIRN off Columbo, and in 1917 was requisitioned for use as a troopship. She resumed the Australia service on September 24th 1920 and continued on this route until December 16th 1932 when she was sold for breaking up in Japan. [Merchant Fleets, vol.1, P&O, Orient & Blue Anchor Lines by Duncan Haws]

My Grandfather was transported on the HMT Malwa from the 17th June 1918 to the 21st June 1918. The ship sailed from Alesdandria to Taranto. The ship sailed in convoy and on the 21st at 1215hrs enemy torpedoes were fired at the convoy by an enemy submarine. At the time the convoy was escorted by Japanese destroyers. My grandfather was in the 5th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. They had previously been campaigning in Palestine.

Desert Column - Australian Military History of the early 20th Century
Under Transport Ships
[url=http://alh-research.tripod.com/ships_lh.htm]http://alh-research.tripod.com/ships_lh.htm[/url]
(Show under the following heading - but no dates given)

Royal Mail Steamers
These Royal Mail Steamers were contracted to carry the mail between Australia and Britain. On occasion, parts of the ship were booked by the AIF to carry troops and cargo. The following list is of the Royal Mail Steamers who carried troops:

A book: "A Gunner's Great War: An Artilleryman's Experience from the Somme to the subcontinent". The page (scroll up one page) shows a map of the route through the Mediterranean, passing close to Malta.
[url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6x3xbJACa6EC&pg=PT129&lpg=PT129&dq=SS+MALWA+troopship&source=bl&ots=Ca6FFsc4Kp&sig=ACfU3U1gMV3DdLngGIAzVbmpe5oIlElPIA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimk4vH49noAhUHVBUIHYPfD-M4ChDoATAAegQIDBAn#v=onepage&q=SS%20MALWA%20troopship&f=false]https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6x3xbJACa6EC&pg=PT129&lpg=PT129&dq=SS+MALWA+troopship&source=bl&ots=Ca6FFsc4Kp&sig=ACfU3U1gMV3DdLngGIAzVbmpe5oIlElPIA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimk4vH49noAhUHVBUIHYPfD-M4ChDoATAAegQIDBAn#v=onepage&q=SS%20MALWA%20troopship&f=false[/url]

With the statement "The ss Malwa in which Clarence travelled across the Mediterranean in October 1918 ..."

[url=https://www.flotilla-australia.com/RMS-hmat.htm#malwa]https://www.flotilla-australia.com/RMS-hmat.htm#malwa[/url]
This lists departures from Australia carrying troops of the AIF from November 1915 to April 1917

The postcard is dated 10/10/16 (arrival date or posted date?) to England, written at Marseilles and censor stamp applied Malta - suggests not an Australian soldier, but a British soldier travelling from UK to ??

Mike

[Tony Walker]

I noticed in my database I had a card from SS Malwa with a note - 'good message', so here's a scan

cancel looks to be from Paris dated 4 January 1916, or would it be 1 April 1916?

Message says : Reached Suez this morning, (card is not dated, landing our troops (400) and entering canal early tomorrow morning.  Suez looks awfully quaint from ship no one allowed off.  We are 3 days 'late' already.  They took us on to Bombay from Ceylon instead of straight to Aden.  See you shortly after this. S.G.S.

Any Comments?

Cheers
Tony

[Robert Hurst]

Tony

Rather than a Paris postmark I wonder if it is a French TPO (possibly) [i]Modane a Paris[/i] cancel on your card ?

Robert

[Tony Walker]

Yes Robert you are quite correct - Thank you

Tony