On May 19th 1941 the MV Wanganella was converted to an Australian Hospital Ship to allow it to carry equipment, medical personnel and to operate as a hospital.

The whole ship was painted white, with the conventional broad green band around her hull, broken at intervals for large red crosses, the ship was illuminated at night as per International law. She sailed for Singapore via Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle transporting the 2/13th AGH (Australian General Hospital), The second trip was to Suez where she embarked wounded men from the Middle East campaign for Sydney and Brisbane. It was during this trip that the first enemy activity was experienced. while Wanganella was at Port Tewfic a bombing raid occurred some bombs fell nearby without damage. The British liner Georgic a troop transport was hit and was burning fiercely in the harbour.

Two more trips were made to the Middle East followed in May 1942 where Australian wounded from Kokoda and New Guinea were evacuated at Port Moresby for Sydney. Wounded for New Zealand from Port Tewfic from the desert campaign in North Africa were embarked for N.Z. On her return from this trip Wanganella proceeded to Townsville and embarked wounded Americans from the South Pacific Campaign for transfer to the American Hospital in Melbourne (now Melbourne General hospital). Wanganella was now serving on two battle fronts the Middle East, New Guinea and Solomons campaigns.

The Bombay Explosion
Trip No. 13 proved to be the most sensational of Wanganella's service history. She departed Sydney late March 1944, calling at Fremantle en route to Bombay. While anchored at Bombay April 14th 1944 she was shaken by an explosion which occurred with disastrous results. A vessel loaded with cotton and a full cargo of high explosives, caught fire and two shattering explosions followed.
Wanganella shuddered as the blast struck her, huge columns of flame smoke and debris leapt hundreds of feet into the sky. within a few minutes the whole Bombay area was aflame and covered with a thick fog. This was composed of buildings which were wrecked over a wide area by the blast and fire quickly spread through the city. At one time an area of three miles square was ablaze. Twenty ships were damaged, some were lying across the wharves masts funnels derricks gear a hopeless tangle of twisted steel. One ship was lifted bodily by the blast and deposited across the pier Wanganella was two miles from the explosion and sustained no damage.
Gruesome scenes were witnessed on the waterfront, dead and injured were everywhere amid the wreckage of buildings, ships and vehicles. All hospitals were soon filled and arrangements were made for Wanganella to assist.
Wounded began arriving, the surgical Staff operated without a break for 36 hours, the ship remained in port for a week. For days bodies were to be seen floating in the harbour, and it is estimated that the casualties exceeded three thousand. Emergency hospitals were arranged, and after Wanganella had discharged her patients she proceede on her way to Taranto Italy embarking N.Z. wounded for Wellington and Lyttleton. On the return trip to Taranto via Colombo she passed through the wreckage of the EandA (Eastern Australia) passenger ship Tanda sunk the night before by an enemy submarine. No survivors were sighted. The voyage continued via Aden Suez and Port Tewfic to Taranto where New Zealand wounded were embarked. On the return trip she called at Colombo for injured survivors of E&A's Tanda.

After retuning to Sydney from New Zealand trips were made to Darwin to embark a hospital Unit, and then Torokina, Jacquinot Bay, Solomons Bougainville, were visited. At this time the Allied Forces held only a small perimeter, and the enemy was uncomfortably close.
At Morotai she saw the invasion fleets assembling, and with the collapse of the enemy, picked up P.O.W and internees at Labuan, and Kuching, who had been imprisoned in the infamous Sinchang Barracks. The condition of these POW's was pitiable, and was evidence of the brutalities of a barbaric enemy. They were rested for a week, to recuperate before being brought to Sydney.

Three more trips to Morotai, Labuan and Lae followed, then her War Service was over, after refit in Melbourne Wanganella returned to her Passenger trade.

During her war service Wanganella travelled 251,611 miles and carried 13,389 wounded and sick evacuees from two War Zones, the Middle East, New Guinea, Solomon Islands and the South Pacific, comprising Australian, New Zealand and American Service personnel.