Takliwa was a cargo liner that was built in 1924 by Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland for the British India Steam Navigation Company. She was converted to a hospital ship during the Second World War, serving until she was wrecked in October 1945.
The ship was 450feet long, with a beam of 60feet and a depth of 29feet. She was assessed at, and 8,200 DWT.[1] She had accommodation for 56 1st class, 80 2nd class and 3,302 deck class passengers.[2]
The ship was propelled by a 1,376 nhp four-cylinder triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 25inches, 42.5inches and 51inches diameter by 51inches stroke. There were two low-pressure cylinders. The engine drove twin screw propellers. It could propel the ship at 16kn.[1]
Takliwa was a cargo liner built by Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Glasgow for the British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd.[1] Yard number 601, she was launched on 19 May 1924.[3] She was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 147685 and the Code Letters GKLB.
Takliwa was employed on the Calcutta, India - Japan service.[1] In January 1927, she transported troops of the 2nd Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry to Calcutta and then to Hong Kong.[4] The Chinese Civil War was then brewing, and the troops were taken on to Shanghai.[5]
Takliwa served on the India–Japan route until 1933. She then served between the United Kingdom and Bombay, India via Mombasa, Kenya.[1] Takliwa was in Bombay when the Second World War started. In 1940, she was requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport for use as a troopship.[1] Between September 1939 and July 1943, she sailed the Indian Ocean. From July 1943 to August 1944, Takliwa mostly sailed the Mediterranean. Takliwa was a member of Convoy KMS 31, which departed from Gibraltar on 10 November and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 21 November. She joined the convoy at Oran, Algeria.[6] On 11 November 1943, Takliwa was damaged in an attack on the convoy by Dornier Do 217 aircraft of Kampfgeschwader 100 and Heinkel He 111 & Junkers Ju 88 aircraft of Kampfgeschwader 26.[7] She put into Algiers.[6] In August 1944, she took part in Operation Dragoon,[8] although it is not recorded how many troops she transported as a member of Convoy TF 1.[9] Following Operation Dragoon, she continued sailing the Mediterranean until June 1945, when she returned to Bombay.[8]
In 1945, she was converted to a hospital ship and assisted in the repatriation of prisoners of war from Hong Kong to India.[1] She departed from Hong Kong on 5 October,[8] on what was to be her final voyage. On 16 October, whilst repatriating ex-PoWs from Hong Kong to Madras,[1] Takliwa ran aground at Indira Point, Great Nicobar, Indonesia and caught fire.[10] A distress call was issued which was answered by . All 1,083 people on board were rescued, as well as the ship's cat.[1] Takliwa burnt out and broke up, a total loss.[3]
