HMHS ROHILLA

 

On 30 October 1914

The hospital ship Rohilla

Sailed southerly through

The stormy North Sea

Bound from Leith to Dunkirk

To bring allied wounded home

Around 4:00 a.m.

On that fateful morn

With the high seas

And storm force winds

Battering the ship

She struck Whitby Rock,

On the Saltwick reef

South of Whitby town.

It was wartime

No landmarks were visible

As blackouts were observed

And aids to navigation

Were nonexistent

Although only 600 yards

From the safety of shore

The fiercely blowing gale

Hampered rescue attempts

But the RNLI persevered

And more than half aboard

The stricken ship were saved