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ORONTES (1929)
Service dates: 1929-1962
Official number: 146027
Shipping lines: ANDERSON, GREEN & COMPANY; ORIENT LINE; P&O ORIENT LINE; ORIENT STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY LTD.
Ship type:
Passenger Liner.
Career
- 27.02.1929
- Launched by Lady Anderson, wife of Sir Alan Anderson, Chairman of Orient Line.
- 09.1929
- Delivered as Orontes for Orient Steam Navigation Company. The fifth and last of Orient Line’s generally similar new liners of the 1920’s.
- 05.09.1929
- Served as one of the official ships for the Schneider Trophy seaplane races off Ryde Pier in the Solent.
- 13.09.1929
- Maiden voyage.
- 25.09.1929
- Maiden sailing on Australian service.
- 1930s
- Passenger accommodation converted.
- 1933
- Made a six-week cruise to the West Indies.
- 1934
- Ran aground undamaged on the Gallipoli coast.
- 16.04.1940
- Requisitioned for trooping.
- 18.05.1940
- Dive-bombed without damage.
- 12.1942
- Landed troops at Oran during the North African campaign.
- 06.02.1943
- Collision with P&O's Strathaird.
- 07.1943
- Landed troops at Avola during Sicily landings.
- 1943
- Landed troops at Salerno.
- 1944
- Trooping to the Far East.
- 1945
- Carried French troops from Marseilles to Saigon.
- 09.03.1946
- Quarantined at Southampton with a case of smallpox.
- 01.03.1947
- Commenced a full refit of her accommodation.
- 04.1947
- Released from Government service.
- 14.05.1948
- Rejoined the Australian service.
- 1953
- One-class emigrant service.
- 06.1957
- First Orient ship to use the re-opened Suez Canal.
- 08.1958
- Minor collision in the Thames.
- 05.1961
- Damaged while berthing.
- 12.12.1961
- Withdrawal announced.
- 02.1962
- Withdrawn from service.
- 05.03.1962
- Sold for breaking up at Valencia.