Hi there I am researching two nurses on were on the HMS KUALA which helped with the evacuation of Singapore. It had 500 onboard and from I can gather half were women and children when it was sunk. Some managed to make it to Pom Pong Island where 150 survivors were picked up. One of the nurses drowned and the other survived only to died on the island. If anyone has any information on this particular ship, its captain - think he was called Caithness, who sunk it - the americans or the Japanese, anything at all.... I am also interested in the total numbers of nurses who died in South East Asia and would appreciate any help, any snippet of info that you may have in this area. Are they buried in CWGC cemeteries, I can only find that some are buried in Sumatra for some of them. Appreciate any help sunflower
Hi, The Dictionary Of Disasters At Sea During The Age Of Steam: 'KUALA' Displacement: 954 tons. Built: 1911. Builder: Caledon Ship Building & Engineering Company. Owner: Straits Steamship Company. The steamship Kuala left Singapore on the night of February 13th, 1942, enroute for Australia with refugees; between 100-200 nursing sisters and many women and children. On the following day the ship was bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft off Banka Island. About 150 persons managed to get ashore on Pom Pom Island and were taken off soon afterwards by a small coasting steamship. This ship was sunk by gunfire shortly afterwards and only three persons were saved, the remainder being killed or taken prisoner. Hope this Helps! Regards Arthur
