Who Are They?
These photographs were taken on board the Asturias in November 1948, by Pat Piggott. His wife Irene (Rene) and son Michael are pictured with other passengers. If you can identify them, please let us know.
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Army Chaplain's Poems
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Ship's Voyage Logs
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Statistics about the Ship
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Who Are They?
These photographs were taken on board the Asturias in November 1948, by Pat Piggott. His wife Irene (Rene) and son Michael
are pictured with other passengers. If you can identify them, let us know.
Launch of MV Asturias, 1925, Belfast [Source: NY Public Library Collection]
HMS Asturias II, the second Royal Mail Line ship of that name, was built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast and was registered to Royal Mail Meat Transports, Ltd. (a Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. subsidiary).
Launched in Belfast on 7th July 1925 by the Duchess of Abercorn, wife of Northern Ireland's Governor General, she made her maiden voyage from Southampton to La Plata (River Plate), Argentina, on 26 February 1926 with Capt E W E Morrison in command.
Launched in Belfast on 7th July 1925 by the Duchess of Abercorn, wife of Northern Ireland's Governor General, she made her maiden voyage from Southampton to La Plata (River Plate), Argentina, on 26 February 1926 with Capt E W E Morrison in command.
While serving in the South Atlantic in 1943, she was torpedoed and badly damaged by an Italian submarine, and was towed to Freetown, where she was abandoned as a total loss.
The British Government took her over in 1945 and had her towed first to Gibraltar, and then to Belfast, for repairs.
The British Government took her over in 1945 and had her towed first to Gibraltar, and then to Belfast, for repairs.
From 1946 to 1952 the Asturias made 23 trips to Australia, bringing over 20,000 people, mostly from the UK, to Australia.
In September 1957 the Asturias was sold for breaking up. Some of the teak from Asturias was made into garden furniture by shipbreakers Hughes and Bolckow, a lot of which still exists in the UK.
Interestingly, before being broken up she was lent by another breaker, Thomas W. Ward to the Rank Organisation for use in the film "A Night to Remember". Asturias' port side was used to depict Titanic in the life-boat lowering scenes of the film even as the shipbreakers were at work on the starboard side. Once filming was completed, demolition was as well [Sources: Haws' Merchant Fleets; Mallett and Bell's the Pirrie-Kylsant Motorships] .
Interestingly, before being broken up she was lent by another breaker, Thomas W. Ward to the Rank Organisation for use in the film "A Night to Remember". Asturias' port side was used to depict Titanic in the life-boat lowering scenes of the film even as the shipbreakers were at work on the starboard side. Once filming was completed, demolition was as well [Sources: Haws' Merchant Fleets; Mallett and Bell's the Pirrie-Kylsant Motorships] .
From 1952 to 1957 the Asturias served as a troop carrier. Although this site is devoted to the ship's service as a passenger
vessel, a new section about her service as a troop carrier is under construction. There are some great websites that also refer
to her service as a troop carrier, such as: www.servicepals.com and the website of the Australian War Memorial www.awm.gov.au.
See
the ship's voyage logs for details of repairs and all voyage dates.
The Glasgow Herald
September 13, 1957
September 13, 1957
In 1932, Asturias was re-registered to Royal Mail Lines, Ltd., together with the rest of the Meat Transports fleet.
Originally fitted with diesel engines, Asturias was refitted in 1934 with turbine engines, and made her first voyage as a steamer in September of that year.
After being taken over as an armed merchant cruiser in 1939, her forward funnel was removed, leaving her with only a single stack.
Originally fitted with diesel engines, Asturias was refitted in 1934 with turbine engines, and made her first voyage as a steamer in September of that year.
After being taken over as an armed merchant cruiser in 1939, her forward funnel was removed, leaving her with only a single stack.
Launch of MV Asturias, 1925, Belfast
Lord Kylsant (centre) and Lady Abercorn (left). On the right are Charles Payne, Managing Director of the Belfast shipyards, and Lady Kylsant.
Photo reproduced with permission of Harland & Wolff Photographic Collection, National Museums N.Ireland.
Lord Kylsant (centre) and Lady Abercorn (left). On the right are Charles Payne, Managing Director of the Belfast shipyards, and Lady Kylsant.
Photo reproduced with permission of Harland & Wolff Photographic Collection, National Museums N.Ireland.
