KENYA (1930)

Service dates: 1930-1946

Official number: 162509

Shipping lines: BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY LTD.

Ship type:

• Passenger Ship

Passenger/Cargo Ship.

Career

27.08.1930

Launched.

06.12.1930

Ran trials.

19.12.1930

Delivered as Kenya for the British India Steam Navigation Company.

1940

Left Bombay in convoy for Europe and Government service.

23.07.1941

Renamed HMS Hydra while serving for the Royal Navy.

10.1941

Converted into a Landing Ship. She was renamed HMS Keren due to there already being a cruiser named Kenya. She carried 297 crew, 1,500 troops and was equipped with 24 landing craft. She has 1 6-inch, 1 3-inch and 12 20mm AA guns.

05.05.1942

Was present at the Diego Suarez Madagascar landings.

12.1942

Present at the North African landings.

07.1943

One of the assault ships at the Sicily invasion, Operation Husky. She was the Headquarter Ship for ‘Bark East’ Sector and carried the 231st Infantry Brigade.

03.04.1946

The British India Steam Navigation Company did not wish to reconvert the vessel after the War. She was purchased by the Admiralty for £475,000 who then sold her to the Ministry of Transport.

08.1948

Laid up at Holy Loch for sale.

02.1949

Broke adrift from her moorings in a gale went ashore. Later salved and repaired at her builders from which she emerged once again as Kenya.

05.1949

Bought by the Alva Steamship Company but still laid up at Holy Loch. She was relocated to Falmouth and then to Antwerp. She was renamed Fairstone later that year.

1950

Renamed Kenya.

10.1950

Left in tow for Falmouth.

03.1951

Left Falmouth, bound for Antwerp under her new name Keren. She was transferred to the associated Sitmar Line (Soc Italiana Transporti Marittimi) and was towed to Genoa for a refit.

1952

Renamed Castel Felice. Re-measured. Now 12,478 grt, 7,373 nrt, 5,210 tons. Her passenger capacity now 1,400.

06.10.1952

Placed on the Genoa/Sydney and Genoa/South America service.

13.07.1954

First sailing from Bremerhaven/Quebec.

28.01.1955

Her passenger accommodation was refurbished at Genoa and the capacity was altered to 1,173 tourist class.

06.04.1958

Made her first voyage Southampton/Sydney.

03.1960

Suffered damage to one of her propellers by touching the bank of the Suez Canal but at a reduced speed she was able to complete the voyage to Melbourne where repairs were carried out.

1961

Withdrawn for refit. Now 1,400 tourist class passengers.

1968

Ownership transferred to a newly-created subsidiary company named Passenger Line Service Inc.

15.08.1970

Suffered a fire over three decks while she was berthed at Southampton.

21.10.1970

Arrived at Kaohsiung and broken up after 40 years of service.

Ship technical details (PDF)