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No. 36 - City of Vienna

City Line, Ltd. [Ellerman Line]

Master: J. Campbell
Chief Officer: H. Findlay
Chief Engineer: A. Gemmell
2nd Officer: H.V. Rigby
Extranumerary 2nd Officer: G. Clark
3rd Officer: J. Wilson
2nd Engineer: J. Harvey / A. MacDonald
3rd Engineer: J. Black / L. Fullerton
Purser: A. Maclean / J. Moffat
Surgeon: A.L. Brown / A. Doig / W.H. Pigeon


Admiralty Return, 13 Aug 1903

Date of Admiralty agreement: 2 Oct 1899
30th Transport to be engaged by the Admiralty
Carried Cavalry and Infantry

Period of engagement: 11 Oct 1899 to 22 Oct 1902

Total days at sea: 426
Total numbers transported to South Africa: 153 officers, 12 warrant officer, 4,970 men, 439 horses
Total numbers transported from South Africa: 178 officers, 6,416 N.C.O.'s & men, 30 horses
Total cost (hire, fittings, coal and port dues): £204,717




Southern Echo, 1st May 1901

TODAY’S EMBARKATIONS ON THE CITY OF VIENNA.
A heavily laden special train conveyed from Aldershot, this morning, drafts for embarkation for South Africa. Those proceeding consisted of Major J. Campbell, 1st Cameron Highlanders, in command; Major C.G. Barton, 2nd King’s Own; Second Lieutenants G.R. Lawrey and Cookson, 2nd Gordon Highlanders; W.E. Murray, 1st Gordon Highlanders; and R.R.C. Douglas Hamilton, 3rd Cameron Highlanders, and 150 men of the Gordon Highlanders; Captain J. Clarke, from the Reserve of Officers; Lieutenant St Maur Sheil, 4th Cheshire Regiment; and 112 men of the South Lancashire Regiment; Major R.S. Henderson, Civil Surgeons Turner, Ellis, and McGregor, Lieutenant and Quartermaster Watkins, and thirty-five men of the Royal Army Medical Corps, forming 25th Field Hospital, 50 men of the Army Service Corps, 34 men of the Telegraph Battalion Royal Engineers, and a small detail of the Highland Light Infantry.
Captain Elgar, Somerset Light Infantry, Lieutenant Miles, Shropshire Light Infantry, and Second Lieutenant Inbert Terry, Devon Regiment, together with a draft of 170 men of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, left Devonport this morning for Southampton to join the Second Battalion of their Regiment in South Africa. There were also five officers and 200 men of the Scots Guards, the officers being Major Erskine, Second Lieutenant the Earl of Dalhousie, Captain Dering, and Lieutenants Sparke and Fitzroy.
Beautiful weather favoured the embarkation of the troops at Southampton, and a goodly number of friends assembled on the Ocean Quay, where the City of Vienna, which is taking on the troops, was lying, to say “Good-bye” to their loved ones. By two o’clock the men had all been got on board, and soon afterwards the vessel sailed.




.Previously posted by Paul Dunn







...

The group to Major J Stacpole who was the embarkation office at Southampton and oversaw the embarkation of 300,000 men and 32,000 horses without any casualties.


Picture courtesy of Noble Numismatics

CVO n/b;
CMG b/b;
Egypt (1) Suakin 1885 (Capt: & D.A.C.G. J. Stacpole. C & T. Staff.);
Khedive's Star;
1902 Coronation Medal

Together with a matching set of display court mounted miniatures.

CVO: Supplement to LG 19/3/1901, p2019 - to Colonel J. Stacpole.
CMG: Supplement to LG 26/6/1902, p4195 - to Colonel John Stacpole, C.V.O., in recognition of services in this country, the Mediterranean, and the Channel Islands during the operations in South Africa.

John Stacpole was born 27 December 1847 at Hollymount, County Mayo, Ireland. He enlisted on 23 November 1865 in the 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) as a private. He served in India for several years and after arriving home was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot on 21 January 1874 and then commissioned as a full lieutenant on 11 May 1875. He served in various postings and then on 10 April 1882 he was seconded as a Deputy Assistant Commissary General (DACG) and promoted to captain on 26 March 1884. He served at this rank at the port of Suakin at the time of the Soudan expedition. On 11 December 1888 he was attached to the Army Service Corps and was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (DAAG) in the North-East District on 1 July 1889.

On 11 May 1891 he was promoted to major with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. On 2 April 1892 he became DAAG in the Home District until 30 June 1894 and then on 15 September 1895 he was appointed DAAG in the Southern District based at Portsmouth. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel with the Army Service Corps on 13 November 1895 and in this role was the embarkation officer at Southampton Docks. He was promoted to brevet colonel on 28 March 1900 and as a colonel on the staff on 9 August of the same year.

He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on 19 March 1901 with a private presentation ceremony held on board the Royal Yacht, Victoria & Albert, at Portsmouth where King Edward VII thanked him for the 'zeal and fidelity he had displayed in the exercise of his arduous and responsible duties as Embarkation Officer.' Then on 26 June 1902 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

He retired shortly before his 57th birthday on 23 November 1904 and was then appointed a Justice of the Peace. In April 1905 he came out of retirement and was appointed District Barrack Master, Eastern Command until he retired again on 30 November 1907.

During the Great War John Stacpole was appointed Commandant of the rest camp at Highfield near Southampton Common. Towards the end of 1916 he was taken ill with appendicitis and died at the Red Cross Hospital on 30 December at the age of 69. His funeral was conducted with 'imposing military ceremony.'

Lord Stratcona's Horse on SS Monterey


Picture courtesy of Spink


Picture courtesy of the University of Calgary

No. 19 - Dominion

ENGAGED FIVE WEEKS AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES AND DESIGNATED H.M.T. No 19, THE NUMBER PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED TO CEPHALONIA

Mississippi and Dominion Steam Ship Co., Ltd

Master: R.O. Jones
Chief Officer: O. Roberts
Chief Engineer: J. Tully
1st Officer: H. Roberts
2nd Engineer: R. Owens
3rd Engineer: R. Williams
Surgeon: G.A. Mavor


Admiralty Return, 13 Aug 1903

Date of Admiralty agreement: 14 Jun 1902
113th Transport to be engaged by the Admiralty
Carried Infantry only

Period of engagement: 8 Jul 1902 to 31 Dec 1902

Total days at sea: 132
Total numbers transported to South Africa: 35 officers, 3 warrant officer, 693 men, 5 horses
Total numbers transported from South Africa: 80 officers, 2,792 N.C.O.'s & men, 41 women & children, 14 horses
Total cost (hire, fittings, coal and port dues): £55,115










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