HSTabora

HSTabora,ca. 1916.
History
German Empire
Name	SS Tabora(1912-1914) (Red Cross)HS Tabora(1914-1916)
Namesake	Tabora,Tanzania
Owner	Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie(DOAL)
Port of registry	German Empire,Hamburg
Builder	Blohm & Voss
Yard number	211
Launched	18 April 1912
Completed	29 June 1912
Acquired	29 June 1912
Maiden voyage	July 1912
In service	29 June 1912
Fate	Sunk 26 March 1916 Wreck scrapped 1955
General characteristics
Type	Passenger ship/Hospital ship
Tonnage	8,022GRT
Length	142.9 metres (468 ft 10 in)
Beam	16.5 metres (54 ft 2 in)
Installed power	2 Triple Expansion Engine
Propulsion	Double screw propellers
Speed	13.5 knots
Capacity	316 passengers First Class: 116 Second Class: 112 Third Class: 88

HSTaborawas a Germanhospital shipthat was sunk on 26 March 1916 in the port ofDar es Salaam,German East Africa,by theRoyal NavybattleshipHMSVengeanceandprotected cruisersHMSChallengerandHMSHyacinth,and theRoyal Australian Navyprotected cruiserHMASPioneer.

Construction

SSTaborawas built at theBlohm & Vossshipyard inHamburg,Germany.She waslaunchedon 18 April 1912, and completed on 29 June 1912. The ship was 142.9 metres (468 ft 10 in) long and had a beam of 16.5 metres (54 ft 2 in). She was assessed at 8.022GRTand had twotriple-expansion enginesdriving double screw propellers.

Early career

During her early career,Taborasteamed many times fromGerman East AfricatoGermanyand sometimes fromSouth AfricatoSouthamptonin theUnited Kingdom.In 1914, whenWorld War Ibroke out,Taborawas converted into ahospital shipfor the German colonies inEast Africa.

World War I and sinking

The British suspected thatTaborawas not really a hospital ship, but rather operated as atroopshipor ammunition transport ship, disguised as a hospital ship with her sides painted with theRed Crossemblem.

On 26 March 1916, in the port ofDar es SalaaminGerman East Africa,theRoyal NavybattleshipHMSVengeanceandprotected cruisersHMSChallengerandHMSHyacinthand theRoyal Australian Navylight cruiserHMASPioneerapproachedTabora.The British demanded that the Germans allow them to inspectTaborato confirm or debunk their suspicions about her. The Germans did not reply.Pioneerreceived orders to open fire if the German ship made any suspicious move. After time had passed without a reply fromTabora,Pioneerreceived orders to fire four warning shots from her 4-inch (102-mm) guns. At the same time,VengeancesignaledTaboraasking her to evacuate any wounded she had on board. WhenTaborastill did not answer, the British ships andPioneeropened fire on her. An avalanche of shells hitTabora,and she quickly caught fire. She was shrouded in thickening clouds of black smoke, took on a list to port, and began to sink. The British ships andPioneerthen steamed away without any return fire from the Germans.Taborarolled onto her side and came to rest on the harbor bottom on her port side, with her starboard side remaining above water. It is unknown if anyone died onTabora.

Aftermath and wreck

Tabora wreck

The sinking ofTaborawent virtually unnoticed by both sides. TheGerman Foreign Officedid not protest against the British and Australian action, nor did they even issue a statement about the incident. Germany's behavior after the incident indicated thatTaborawas not a hospital ship protected under Articles X and XI of theHague Convention of 1907,and as such that her sinking was not a violation of international maritime law.

The burned-out wreck ofTaboraremained in the harbor of Dar es Salaam until 1955, when she finally was scrapped by the Italian salvage company Mawa Handels Anstalt nearly 40 years after her sinking.