Harwich - Hook of Holland Ferry "Prague"

[tractor]

We have a photograph of a WWII hospital ship "Prague", part of this photograph is attached.

She was built in 1930, weighed 4,200 tons and was used on the Harwich -Hook crossing.

In 1939 she was requisitioned by the Navy and used in 1940 to evacuate from our forces from Dunkirk and in 1944 in the D-Day landings as a hospital ship.

In 1940 she reportedly suffered damage and was towed to Sandwich where she was beached. Later she was re-floated and taken for repair.

It is not clear when or where she was refitted as a Hospital Ship but this could have been when the repairs were performed.

The photograph may have been taken after the refit and the photographer was W Parry of South Shields so it seems to indicate that the refit was performed on Tyneside.

During the D-Day landings the Prague was seconded to the US forces and evacuated many wounded from Cherbourg to Southampton.

In 1947 during another refit she caught fire and sank.

We believe that my wife's grandfather was the engineer on the "Prague" and probably saw service at either or both Dunkirk and D-Day.

We would welcome any other information that forum members may have about this vessel.

[37b]

She was built by John Brown & co at their Clydebank shipyard in 1929.
There's a fair bit if you google "S.S. Prague"
Dave