H.M.T. Lancashire
The Lancashire was one of the ships which
brought the troops home from India.
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Specifications
9,542 gross tons, hp. 6,000
length 482.3ft x beam 57.3ft, depth 35 ft. 10 ins.
one funnel
four masts
single screw
speed 15 knots
accommodation for 295-1st class passengers.
Built by Harland & Wolff,
Belfast
for the Bibby Line. |
Her construction was delayed by the war, and she wasn't
launched until Jan.1917. Immediately taken over under the Liner Requisition
Scheme, she sailed in August from Birkenhead for
Rangoon
. In 1918 she repatriated French prisoners of war and Belgian refugees and in
1919 was used as a troopship between
Antwerp
/
Plymouth
and
Australia
and then
UK
-
USA
with returning troops.
1920 Released to Bibby Line and refitted to passenger
ship standards, converted from coal to oil fuel. Used on the
UK
-
Far East
passenger service and also for trooping work. 1930 converted to a permanent
troopship. Nov.1939 carried the first contingent of the Indian Expeditionary
Force from
Bombay
to
Marseilles
. June 1944 acted as commodore ship for the Juno Beach D-Day landings. 1945
Converted to a store and supply ship for the Pacific fleet. Used at Hong Kong
to restore power supplies after the war ended and then assisted with the
repatriation of sick troops. 1946 reconditioned into a peacetime troopship and
mainmast removed. Trooped to
India
,
Cyprus
and the
Far East
. 1956 replaced by Oxfordshire and scrapped at Barrow in Furness. [Merchant
Fleets, vol.29 by Duncan Haws].
Acknowledgments :- http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsL.html
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