Historical information

During World War II, Wanganella was converted to serve as an Australian Hospital Ship (AHS). Between 19 May 1941 and 1946, AHS Wanganella carried wounded and sick evacuees from the Middle East, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Borneo and the South Pacific, travelling over 251,011 nautical miles (464,872 km) and transporting 13,385 wounded.
A.H.S Wanganella 2/2nd Australian Hospital ship.
Ref: "Hospital Ships" Rupert Goodman
SLV LT 359.8364 0994 G62H
Trip 8
Depart 12th Nov 1942 Melbourne
Fremantle
Aden
10th - 11th Dec 1942 Port Tewfik, Egypt
21st - 22nd Dec 1942 Colombo, Sri Lanka
01 Jan 1943 Fremantle
Adelaide
Melbourne
Sydney
Arrived 13th Jan 1943 Brisbane
Wanganella left Colombo 22nd December 1942 for Fremantle, with patients who boarded at Port Tewfik in Egypt arriving on New Year's day 1943.

Physical description

The menu is printed on fawn cardboard. The menu has been torn along the spine and rearranged at some time to put on display. There is evidence of glue or tape damage at the back of each corner of the card. Some grease and finger marks are evident on the front and back of the card. The printing is very legible.

Inscriptions & markings

The heading 'Christmas Greetings' is at the top of the front page and 'Christmas Day 1942' at the bottom of the page. Originally the menu was assembled as a leaflet with the menu on the inside of the second sheet. Since this time, the menu has been torn along the middle fold and the second page sheet taped to the first page. There is a red cross on the front page with a printed illustration of the Wanganella superimposed over the top. H.M.A.H.S. Wanganella and the dinner menu are printed in dark blue ink. The Christmas greetings and the
names of the commander and officer in command of the troops are printed in light blue ink.