Public Records Office, Foreign Office:

Reference:- FO. 371 36573 X/K 6940:

GENERAL - W: 1479 26 Jan. 1943 -

Use of "Lady Nelson" as hospital ship. Encloses copies of letters to War Office and Canadian Military Headquarters regarding the fitting of the "Lady Nelson" as a military hospital ship by Canadian Government. Encloses also copy of signal to the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board regarding fitting of the "Centaur" as a military hospital ship by the Australian Government.

i)Postgram 21 Jan. '43 to ACNB Reptd Admiralty CinC Eastern Fleet, NZNB, Navy Office Wellington from Mr. K.F. Kemp for Director of Sea Transport - Reference to 1441/11 Identification number 47 allocated to Centaur

ii)Letter 23 Jan '43 Under Secretary of State, FO from Director of Sea Transport, Ministry of War Transport - Information re fitting out of Lady Nelson and Centaur as military hospital ships.

GENERAL - W: 1723 29 Jan. 1943

Use of s.s. "Centaur" as hospital ship. Encloses a copy of telegram from Australian No. 24 of 25th January regarding employment of s.s. "Centaur" as hospital ship. Requests that notification of the employment of this vessel as hospital ship with the particulars described may be communicated to the enemy powers.

i)Letter: 28 Jan. '43 (PW.229/3.) - Dominions Office requests Under Sevretary of State, Foreign office to notify employment of this vessel to the enemy powers

ii)Inward Telegram: (No. 24) 25 Jan. '43 8.20 a.m. recvd 26 Jan. '43 1.40a.m. to Dom. Off. from Aust Gov't. Centaur in commission 1 March '43....

iii)Inward Telegram: (No. 27) 27 Jan. '43 11.10p.m. recvd 28 Jan. '43 7.15 a.m. from Aust. Govt to Dom. Off. - reference to No. 24...ID No. 47 issued to Centaur

iv)Outward Telegram: 31 Jan. '43 5,25 p.m. from FO to Washington (No. 720) & Berne (No. 424) - Request of US to inform Finnish Govt & Swiss to inform German, Italian, Japanese, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Roumanian and Siamese Govt's employment of Centauras h.s.

GENERAL - W: 2167 07 Feb. 1943

Use of s.s. "Centaur" as hospital ship. Refers to Foreign Office telegram No. 424 (W 1723/379/49) Jan. 30th. Swiss Legation, Sofia report communication made to Bulgarian Government at 1200 hours on Feb. 4th.

i)Telegram: (No. 626) 5 Feb. '43 8.50 p.m. Recvd 6 Feb. '43 12.30 p.m. from Berne to FO - reference No. 424 Sofia report communication made to Bulgarian Government at 1200 hours on Feb. 4th.

GENERAL - W: 2317 09 Feb. 1943

Use of s.s. "Centaur" as hospital ship. Refers to Foreign Office telegram to Berne No. 424 (1723/379/49), 30th. Jan. Communication was made to Italian, Hungarian, Roumanian and Siamese Government on 4th Feb., and to German Govt. on 5th Feb.

i)Telegram: (No. 626)8 Feb. '43 8.12 p.m. Recvd 9 Feb. '43 12.32 p.m. from Berne to FO - reference No. 424 Communication was made to Italian, Hungarian, Roumanian and Siamese Government on 4th Feb, and to German Govt. on 5th Feb.

ii)Outward Telegram: (No. 27) 6 Feb. '43 5.40p.m. fromDO to Australian Govt

GENERAL - W: 2416 11 Feb. 1943

Use of s.s. "Centaur" as hospital ship. Refers to Foreign Office telegram to Berne No. 424 (1723/379/49), 30th. Jan. Communication was made to Japanese Govt on 5th February.

i)Telegram: (No. 680) 9 Feb. '43 8.41 p.m. Recvd 11 Feb. '43 6.30 a.m. from Berne to FO - reference No. 424 Communication was made to Japanese Govt on 5th February.

GENERAL - W: 4478 19 Mar. 1943

Use of s.s. "Centaur" as hospital ship. Refers to Foreign Office telegram to Berne No. 424 (17(3?)3/379/49), 30th. Jan. Swiss Govt. state that Hungarian Govt recognise s.s. Centaur as hospital ship.

i)Telegram: (No. 1310) 18 Mar. '43 2.05 p.m. Recvd 18 Mar. '43 4.55 p.m. from Berne to FO - reference No. 424 Swiss Govt. state that Hungarian Govt recognise s.s. Centaur as hospital ship..