The Hospital Ship was a unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps.
The following information is from “War Establishments of the New Armies”, a War Office publication of 1915. It relates to ship equipped with 220 beds, of which 20 were allocated to officers. The establishment below does not include the ship’s crew.
Establishment
- 1 Lieutenant-Colonel or Major in command
- 4 Captains, Lieutenants or Second-Lieutenants (any of which may be replaced by civil surgeons)
- 1 Quartermaster (an officer)
- 1 Sergeant-Major
- 5 Staff-Sergeants or Sergeants (appointed as 1 Steward, 1 Dispenser, 1 Clerk, and 2 on general duties)
- 3 Corporals (appointed 1 Dispenser, 1 in pack stores, 1 in linen stores)
- 29 Privates (appointed 1 in stewards’ stores, 1 in pack and linen stores, 1 clerk, 22 on ward duties, and 4 supernumeraries)
Note: of the total rank and file, 1 would be a Lance-Corporal, 1 would be operating room attendant and 1 an attendant in skiagraphy and electro-therapy. Up to 10 could be specially enlisted men.
Plus, of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service:
- 1 Matron
- 3 Sisters
- 5 Staff Nurses