Scale 1:48. British India’s ‘Uganda’ (1952) had a very long and eventful career and for many, was a much-loved ship. Its maiden voyage was in August 1952 on the London-East Africa service on which it was engaged for the next 15 years.

In 1967 it sailed for Hamburg to be converted to a schools ship by Howaldswerke A.G. It sailed from Southampton on its first educational cruise on 27 February 1968 with 820 students on board. ‘Uganda’ had provision for up to 920 schoolchildren in addition to 304 cabin-class passengers berthed in 43 dormitories. It was while on an educational cruise, at Alexandria, that ‘Uganda’ was requisitioned on 10 April 1982 by the Ministry of Defence for participation in ‘Operation Corporate’, the recovery of the Falkland Islands.

Hastily converted to a hospital ship at Gibraltar, the ‘Mother Hen’ sailed for the Falklands on 19 April. On 12 May 1982, it received the first casualties from HMS ‘Sheffield.’ During the conflict 730 casualties were treated aboard, including 150 Argentineans and, from its control room, the movements of four British hospital and ambulance ships, and three Argentinean ambulance ships, were coordinated.

The sight of ‘Uganda’ being towed down the River Fal in Cornwall, on 20 May 1986, on its way to the breakers yard in Taiwan, was likely an emotional event for the many people who turned out to see it for the last time.