Hospital Ships: Ever Been Attacked?

Hospital ships are designated for use as medical treatment facilities or hospitals and are usually operated by military forces or navies. They are protected under the Second Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits military attacks on hospital ships. However, this has not stopped hospital ships from coming under attack. During World War I, many hospital ships were attacked, sometimes deliberately, and sometimes by mistake. HMHS Britannic, the sister ship of the Olympic and Titanic, was the biggest hospital ship sunk during World War I. In World War II, the US hospital ship USS Comfort was attacked by a Japanese kamikaze pilot off Okinawa, killing six nurses, four surgeons, and seven patients.

USS Comfort attacked by a Kamikaze pilot during WWII

Hospital ships are protected by the Second Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits military attacks on them. However, this has not stopped belligerent forces from attacking them. During World War II, two dozen hospital ships were sunk by enemy fire, and one sustained heavy damage in the final weeks of the war. One such ship was the USS Comfort.

The USS Comfort was a US Navy hospital ship that served during World War II. It was commissioned in 1944 and was tasked with ferrying injured servicemen from the Pacific Theater battlefields to field hospitals in Australia, New Guinea, and the United States. In April 1945, the ship joined the invasion force at the Battle of Okinawa. This put the USS Comfort on the front lines of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II.

On April 1, 1945, an American submarine mistakenly torpedoed the Japanese vessel Awa Maru, which was a Red Cross relief ship. This incident led to the deaths of 2,000 Japanese merchant sailors and military personnel. In retaliation, Radio Tokyo declared that they were justified in bombing hospital ships, claiming that they were being used to return wounded soldiers back to the front lines.

On April 28, 1945, the USS Comfort came under attack by a Japanese Kamikaze pilot. The pilot directed his plane at the massive Red Cross emblem on the ship's hull and plunged through its decks, crashing into the surgery unit. The attack instantly killed six nurses, four surgeons, and seven patients. The gasoline from the plane caught fire, causing a massive explosion that threw people across the ship. Despite her injuries, Lieutenant Howard, a nurse on board, refused to abandon her post or the servicemen in her care.

The USS Comfort sustained heavy damage in the attack. Its surgical, X-ray, and laboratory facilities were destroyed. The medical staff worked tirelessly to save lives, converting the mess hall into an operating room and the barber shop into a first aid station. The casualties among the ship's 700 passengers included 30 deaths, 48 injuries, and one missing service member. The wounded ship sailed to Guam for temporary repairs before continuing on to California.

HMHS Llandovery Castle sunk by a German U-boat in 1918

Hospital ships are protected under the Hague Convention, and attacking one is considered a war crime. However, this has not stopped belligerent forces from attacking marked vessels. One notable example is the sinking of HMHS Llandovery Castle by a German U-boat in 1918.

The HMHS Llandovery Castle was a Canadian hospital ship that served in World War I. On June 27, 1918, the ship was sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Liverpool, England, when it was sighted by the German submarine U-86 about 200 km off the coast of southern Ireland. The U-boat's captain, Helmut Brümmer-Patzig, believed that the Llandovery Castle was carrying troops and ammunition and decided to attack. The U-86 fired its torpedoes, and the Llandovery Castle sank within 10 minutes.

Several lifeboats were launched, but only one escaped the deadly suction of the sinking ship and the attacks of the U-boat. This lifeboat, carrying 24 passengers, was rescued by the destroyer HMS Lysander 36 hours after the bombing. The other lifeboats were either sucked under or deliberately targeted and machine-gunned by the U-boat.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 234 doctors, nurses, members of the Canadian Army Medical Corps, soldiers, and seamen. Only 24 people survived the tragedy. The incident became infamous internationally and was considered one of the worst atrocities of the war. After the war, the case of the Llandovery Castle was prosecuted as a war crime at the Leipzig trials. The captain of U-86, Patzig, escaped trial but was sentenced in absentia.

Hospital ships protected under the Second Geneva Convention

Hospital ships are protected by the Second Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits military attacks on hospital ships that meet specified requirements. However, belligerent forces have the right to inspect these ships and may take patients, but not staff, as prisoners of war. Even though they are protected, hospital ships have still been attacked. For example, during World War II, the US hospital ship USS Comfort was attacked by a Japanese kamikaze pilot who crashed his bomb-laden plane into the ship, killing six nurses, four surgeons, and seven patients. Another example is the HMHS Llandovery Castle, which was attacked in 1915.

The protection of hospital ships under the Second Geneva Convention is an important aspect of international humanitarian law. The convention provides a framework for the protection of medical personnel, facilities, and transports, including hospital ships, in times of armed conflict. The specific provisions related to hospital ships are outlined in Article 22 of the convention, which has been the subject of scholarly commentary and analysis.

Hospital ships are identifiable by the large Red Crosses or Red Crescents they display, signifying their protected status under the Geneva Convention's laws of war. These markings are intended to ensure the neutrality of the vessel and its dedicated purpose of providing medical care. While any ship can be designated and marked as a hospital ship, many vessels are permanently assigned to this function, ensuring their exclusive commitment to humanitarian efforts.

Despite the protections afforded by the Second Geneva Convention, there have been notable instances of hospital ships being deliberately attacked during wartime. These attacks are considered war crimes under international law. The HMHS Llandovery Castle, the Soviet hospital ship Armenia in 1941, and the AHS Centaur in 1943 are among those that have been targeted.

It is important to distinguish between a warship with hospital facilities and a dedicated hospital ship. Warships with onboard medical capabilities do not hold the same protected status as hospital ships. This distinction is crucial in understanding the scope of protection offered by the Second Geneva Convention. While warships may provide medical services to their crews and, in some cases, engage in relief missions, their primary function remains military engagement rather than humanitarian aid.

Hospital ships during the First World War

Hospital ships have been used by militaries for centuries, dating back to ancient Athenian and Roman navies. They have served various purposes, including treating wounded soldiers, evacuating injured personnel, and providing humanitarian aid. During the First World War, hospital ships took on even greater significance as they worked tirelessly to save lives and alleviate suffering on all fronts.

The First World War witnessed a significant deployment of hospital ships by all the major belligerents. These vessels were typically converted from liners or packet boats, ranging from small to large in size. They were often painted white with a red cross on each side and a green stripe, adhering to the standards set by the Hague Convention of 1907. This convention outlined specific rules for hospital ships, including the requirement to treat the injured and sick regardless of their nationality.

New Zealand, for instance, took these rules seriously and ensured their hospital ships carried no weapons at all. Even side arms brought on board by wounded officers were offloaded at the first port of call. The British also used hospital ships during the war, with vessels like the Hospital Ship Salta and His Majesty's Australian Transport (HMAT) Ulysses, HMAT Marathon, and HMT Devanha serving with distinction. However, British hospital ships often became targets of enemy attacks, with many being damaged or destroyed during the conflict.

Life aboard a First World War hospital ship was challenging. The crew worked tirelessly to save lives, but many patients succumbed to their extreme wounds despite excellent nursing and medical care. The staff also had to perform the somber duty of burying the deceased at sea, sliding the shrouded corpses over the side of the ship. Additionally, serving on a hospital ship could take a toll on one's health, as evident from the high sickness rates among the medical personnel on the Marama.

Overall, hospital ships played a critical role during the First World War, providing essential medical support to troops on all sides. Their presence offered solace and hope to those injured and sick, and their legacy continues to be remembered and honored today.

Hospital ships as targets for attacks

Hospital ships are designated for use as medical treatment facilities or hospitals and are usually operated by military forces or navies. They are often targeted during wars, despite international laws prohibiting attacks on them. The Second Geneva Convention of 1949 and Article Four of the Hague Convention X of 1907 forbid military attacks on hospital ships. However, belligerent forces have the right to inspect these vessels and may take patients as prisoners of war.

During World War I, many hospital ships were attacked, sometimes deliberately and sometimes by mistake. These attacks resulted in the sinking of these ships by torpedoes, mines, or surface attacks. The German High Command viewed Allied hospital ships as violating the Hague Convention and ordered their submarine forces to target them. The largest loss of life caused by the sinking of a hospital ship during World War I was the Llandovery Castle, which was hit by a torpedo from a German U-boat in 1918. The Britannic, sister ship to the Olympic and Titanic, was also sunk by a mine in 1916, resulting in 30 deaths.

During World War II, the US hospital ship USS Comfort was attacked by a Japanese kamikaze pilot off Okinawa. The pilot directed his plane at the Red Cross emblem on the ship's hull, killing six nurses, four surgeons, and seven patients. This attack was possibly in retaliation for the torpedoing of the Japanese vessel Awa Maru, which had been designated a Red Cross relief ship.

Other notable examples of hospital ships deliberately attacked during wartime include the Soviet hospital ship Armenia in 1941 and the AHS Centaur in 1943. Despite displaying large Red Crosses or Red Crescents to signify their protected status under the Geneva Convention, these vessels have not been completely immune from attack.

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