History RMS Cameronia (1920)

1 history

1.1 pre war
1.2 second world war
1.3 post war

history
pre war

cameronia built anchor line, owned cunard line. sister ship lancastria. although launched in december 1919, strike delayed final completion. in april 1921, cameronia towed cherbourg, france final fitting out. had accommodation 265 1st class, 370 2nd class , 1,100 3rd class passengers. cameronia departed glasgow on 11 may 1921 on maiden voyage liverpool , new york. cameronia placed under management of henderson brothers ltd. port of registry glasgow. code letters khsq , united kingdom official number 144242 allocated.

in october 1925, cameronia rescued crew of united states coast guard cutter had caught fire. in collision norwegian steamship hauk following month. steering gear failed on voyage in january 1926 , returned glasgow repairs. in august 1926, collision cunard s samaria avoided 6 feet (1.8 m). cameronia underwent refit in 1928 correct tendency pitch heavily. in 1929, refit saw accommodation refitted cabin/tourist class. had accommodation 290 cabin class, 431 tourist class , 698 3rd class passengers. in 1934, cameronia s code letters changed gdxs. laid on clyde in december 1934. in 1935, anchor line went liquidation, , cameronia 1 of assets purchased anchor line (1935) ltd. remained laid until autumn of 1935, when entered service troopship. in spring 1936, again refitted , returned use ocean liner. cameronia participated in 1937 spithead naval review, used floating grandstand.

second world war

war declared in september 1939. cameronia departed glasgow on 5 september. during voyage new york, rescued of survivors athenia, , first british ship enter new york after war had been declared. cameronia returned united kingdom part of convoy hxf 1, departed halifax, nova scotia on 19 september 1939 , arrived @ liverpool on 29 september. cameronia bound glasgow. made eleven unescorted round trips glasgow – new york in period december 1940, when requisitioned use troopship. on 29 january 1941, cameronia joined convoy ws 5b @ freetown, sierra leone, sailing convoy suez canal, arrived on 3 march. cameronia member of convoy ga 10, arrived @ alexandria, egypt on 6 april 1941. on 23 march 1942, cameronia departed united kingdom member of convoy ws17, bound freetown. departed freetown on 11 april part of convoy ws17b bound cape town, south africa, arriving on 23 april. on 27 april, cameronia departed cape town part of convoy ws 17 bound mombasa, kenya, arrived on 8 may. on 10 may cameronia departed mombasa part of convoy ws 17bz, arriving @ bombay, india on 19 may. on 29–30 may 1941 in company glen line s glengyle 6,000 argyll , sutherland highlanders evacuated sphakia @ end of battle of crete.

cameronia served in mediterranean landing ship, infantry during war, taking part in british-american invasion of french north africa in november 1942. on 22 december 1942, cameronia hit torpedo dropped junkers ju 88 of iii gruppe, kg 26 off algiers, algeria. 288 square feet (26.8 m) hole blown in cameronia s side , seventeen people killed. u-565 claimed have damaged her. cameronia managed reach port of bougie, algeria, escorted @ 5 knots (9.3 km/h) algiers. sailed gibraltar temporary repairs carried out. cameronia sailed glasgow permanent repairs. repairs completed in june 1943 , cameronia returned service. on 29 august 1943, cameronia departed gibraltar part of convoy mkf 22, had departed port said, egypt on 19 august , arrived @ clyde on 9 september. on 6 december 1943, cameronia departed oran, algeria members of 21st general hospital. landed @ naples, italy on 21 december. cameronia largest troopship took part in operation overlord in june 1944. served until end of war, when laid up.

post war

in 1947, cameronia returned service on trooping duties palestine. in 1948, refitted barclay, curle & co ltd, elderslie, giving accommodation 1,266 passengers in single class. used transport people emigrating australia. in 1953, cameronia sold mott , renamed empire clyde, remaining under management of anchor line. served until 1957, arriving on 22 october @ newport, monmouthshire scrapping.