Contents: This album contains photographs taken on board the Hospital Ship Garth Castle (1910) during WWI; it belonged to W A Batsford a steward on board. Included are on board views of officers and nursing sisters as well as views of the ward and operating theatre. Other ships photographed include HM Hospital Ships Soudan (1901), Drina (1913) and Mauretania (1907). There are also two photographs of the ship’s mascot, Jacko the monkey.
The Union Castle liner Garth Castle was launched in 1910 and commissioned as a naval hospital ship 4 November 1914 based mainly at Scapa Flow. She served with the North Russia Expeditionary Force to Archangel, 19181-1919. She was returned to her owners in 1919 and broken up in 1939.

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Photograph 1: View of ships in the sunset, ca.1914.
Photograph 2: Africans at a quayside, unidentified location, ca.1914.

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Photograph 3: Group of African children saluting for the camera, ca.1914.
Photograph 4: Group photograph of ship’s officers and nursing sisters, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 5: Group of medical officers with ship’s chaplain posing for the camera in front of the Operation Room, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.
Photograph 6: Compilation photograph showing officers’ wards and operating room, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 7: View of A Ward, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

Page 5 Photographs showing C & D wards have been removed.

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Photograph 8: View of F Ward, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca. 1915-16.

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Photograph 9: View of Operating Room, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.
Photograph 10: Dental Surgery, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 11: View of four ratings recuperating in cot cases on deck with nurse and chaplain in attendance, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16. Note blankets embroidered with anchors and laurel wreaths.
Photograph 12: View of Sister’s Duty Cabin with piano, potted plants and comfortable chairs, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 13: Officers lounge with piano and comfortable chairs, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.
Photograph 14: Officers smoking room, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 15: View of a pinnace with the mails returning in heavy weather to HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.
Photograph 16: View of the laundry and two laundry men, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 17: Compilation photograph showing seamen wounded in a boiler explosion being landed in cot cases on the deck of HMHS Garth Castle (1910) from drifter HMD Sisters (1904) No 165, ca.1915-16.
Photograph 18: View of cot cases on the deck of HMD Sisters (1904), 1915-16.

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Photograph 19: Painting the funnel, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.
Photograph 20: An urgent case being winced aboard HMHS Garth Castle (1910) in a cot case, ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 21: Funeral party leaving HMHS Garth Castle (1910) with corpse for the shore cemetery, ca.1915-16.
Photograph 22: Patients being discharged from HMHS Garth Castle (1910) to HMHS Berbice (1909), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 23: Nursing sisters having rowing lesson, ca.1915-16.
Photograph 24: View from aft of HMHS Garth Castle (1910) passing under bridge, ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 25: View of HMHS Soudan (1901) at anchor at sunset, ca.1915-16.
Photograph 26: View looking aft of HMHS Garth Castle (1910) in the snow, North Sea, March 1916.
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Photograph 27: View of boat deck under snow, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), March 1916.
Photograph 28: The Quarter-Master at the wheel on navigating deck in the snow, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), February 1916.

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Photograph 29: View of seaplane in tow, ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 30 – see photograph 23.
Photograph 31: View of officers’ saloon dining table, Christmas, 1915.

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Photograph 32: A boy sailor wearing a life jacket with Jacko the monkey also wearing a life jacket, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.
Photograph 33: Jacko the monkey wearing a sailor’s hat and life jacket, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 34: An unsmiling group of firemen with makeshift instruments, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16. Caption, ‘Firemen’s Ragtime Band’.
Photograph 35: A group of seamen dressed as pierrots, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 36: HMHS Drina (1913) at anchor, ca.1915-16.
Photograph 37: HMHS Passy (1901), ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 38: Boat drill – hauling in the boats, HMHS Garth Castle (1910), ca.1915-16.
Photograph 39: View of HMHS Garth Castle (1910) in dry dock having her propellors cleaned, ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 40: Distant view of stewards winning boat race, ca.1915-16.
Photograph 41: View of crew (and Batsford marked with an X), hauling in lifeboats, ca.1915-16.

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Photograph 42: Ship’s cats and kittens, ca.1915-16.
Photograph 43: HMHS Mauretania (1907) underway, ca.1915-16.