KMF-26 and loss of HMT Rohna

[mjbollinger]

Hi folks,

I will be interviewed on camera for a forthcoming documentary about the loss of HMT Rohna in KMS-26, which represents the largest loss of life of US military personnel at sea due to enemy action (1,105 soldiers). While my role in the documentary is centered on the Luftwaffe units and weapons involved, I do want to "get smart" about some other topics that seem to be getting a lot of play in the documentary.

First, I always thought that HMT stood for "His Majesty's Transport" but others are saying it was "Hired Merchant Transport." Can anyone confirm what HMT stood for?

Second, there are survivors of the sinking who are very critical of the condition of the ship, especially the lifeboats, which many say were in disrepair and unable to be launched because they had become fixed to the davits. Does anyone know what inspections might have been carried out aboard an HMT prior to sailing?

Third, HMT Rohna had been used extensively as a troop transport, operating primarily out of Bombay from 1940 until entering the Mediterranean in March of 1943. I have a partial list of the convoys and routes it took (several BN convoys, US 8/1, BM4, a number of BP convoys, BM 10 and then BA40. Can alone provide details on which military units were transported on the vessel. I am assuming these were Indian soldiers by and large, but would like confirmation.

Fourth, I don't have a list of its convoys and routes taken when it operated in the Mediterranean between March 1943 and its sinking in November 1943. Does anyone have those? Can anyone provide the list of units embarked? In particular, were any US Army units embarked on the ship before its final trip from Oran?

I realize this a lot to ask. Moreover, time is short (a few days). But any assistance will be greatly valued.

Marty

[t-geronimo]

For convoys in the med and all other movements of the ship see Arnold Hague convoy database and port database:

http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hague/index.html

http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index ... HNA~armain

[mjbollinger]

Thanks. I had already searched the Hague convoy databases but not (yet) the ports database. Very helpful. I have a complete list of ships now in the actual KMS-26 convoy. At this point, I suspect the five US troopships arrived to Oran in convoy UGS-21 but I can't find a list of those ships in the various databases to prove it. After a short while the troops were embarked on four steamships of the British India Steamship Company, requisitioned as HMTs, one of which had to turn back shortly after departure.

I'm especially interested in learning more about the regulations governing safety and troop accommodation on those HMT ships, and how they were configured to hold over 2,000 passengers. There were a LOT of criticisms of the ship and safety equipment by the soldiers embarked, at least the ones who survived the sinking. Lifeboats that were rotten with gaps in the planking. Davits that were frozen in place and couldn't be swung out. M1926 lifebelts that didn't work. Etc.

I can find lots of info on how Liberty Ships were reconfigured as troop transports but nothing yet on HMT medifications.

[Urs Heßling]

hi,

I assume that you know https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/351 ... a_Memories , of course

there is https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/l ... 022-2.html, too

greetings, Urs

[mjbollinger]

Indeed. Many thanks. I first met Michael Walsh 12 years ago when I presented the history of German radio-guided anti-ship weapons to the survivors of the Rohna attack, and their families.

There is a documentary coming out about this. It will be released in November. I spent a few hours being interviewed by the director and producer. My guess is they may use 30-60 seconds of the interview, at most.

I also helped Sam Cox with his notes about Rohna. It is good that the US Navy, after many decades, has finally and publicly acknowledged this incident.

Marty