Before the Centaur was a hospital ship, it was a cattle tramp/passenger/cargo ship running along the west Australian coast and Java and Singapore after being launched in 1924.
In 1938, under the command of Captain Murray, it answered a distress call from the Japanese Kyo Maru and rescued the ship. Five years later, that same Captain Murray died when the Centaur was torpedoed.
The Centaur picked up survivors of the German raider Kormoran after its fight with the HMAS Sydney in 1941. German Captain Detmers used flares to attract attention. Injured were brought aboard, but the rest were towed. When that boat capsized, two boats were lowered and the survivors transferred to Camarvan. Captain Murray did not want to place well-trained German sailors on board his ship since it had a civilian crew.
With the outbreak of fighting in New Guinea, the Centaur Charon and Gorgon were pressed into service mostly carrying military supplies. As casualties mounted, the need for a shallower-draft vessel became apparent and the Centaur was converted in Melbourne in January 1943 with the capacity to carry 280 cot cases.
It made one voyage from Port Moresby, returning with wounded Australian and American soldiers as well as injured Japanese POWs.
It was sunk on the second voyage.
From the 2/3 AHS Centaur Association.
A Fine Thank You. --Cooter
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