Description
Physical description
Model.
This 1/48 scale model represents Nahba, a First World War Red Cross River Hospital Ship, that saw service in the Middle East. It is a shallow draught passenger vessel with one funnel and two passenger decks. It is painted white with several red cross symbols. The model is attached to a rectangular wooden plinth by three gold-coloured stands. There is a large caption mounted on the side of the plinth.
Label
Nahba was designed to the order of the British Red Cross by John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd, London, Basingstoke & Southampton, and was paid for by the Maharaja of Nabha. He repurchased it at the end of the War, and the proceeds were used to set up the Star and Garter Home (in Richmond, Surrey). The ship arrived in Basrah in May 1917, having been sent out in sections to Bombay, where she was re-erected. During the first two months, she travelled 2000 miles between Basrah and Bagdad, and in the following two months evacuated sick from Bagdad to Amarah and thence to base. On the upward journeys, she took Red Cross stores for Amarah and Bagdad and returned with full complements of patients. From October 1917 until March 1st 1919, she was employed on the Bagdad section of the river, either evacuating from field ambulances and casualty clearing stations above Bagdad, or from medical units below Bagdad. She travelled 12338 miles in Mesopotamia and carried 27233 sick and wounded. Among her distribution of stores were 10740 blocks of ice, each weighing 30 lbs.
History note
Original caption:
This ship arrived in Basrah in May 1917, having been sent out in sections to Bombay, where she was re-erected.
During the first two months, she travelled 2000 miles between Basrah and Bagdad, and in the following two months evacuated sick from Bagdad to Amarah and thence to base. On the upward journeys, she took Red Cross stores for Amarah and Bagdad and returned with full complements of patients.
From October 1917 until March 1st 1919, she was employed on the Bagdad section of the river, either evacuating from field ambulances and casualty clearing stations above Bagdad, or from medical units below Bagdad. She travelled 12338 miles in Mesopotamia and carried 27233 sick and wounded. Among her distribution of stores were 10740 blocks of ice, each weighing 30 lbs.
Designed to the order of the British Red Cross by John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd, London,
Basingstoke & Southampton.
Additional information from the Red Cross Museum:
The original ship was paid for by the Maharaja of Nabha, who repurchased it at the end of the War, and the proceeds used to set up the Star and Garter Home (in Richmond).
