yppo3

(PO3) PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL STEAM
NAVIGATION CO., 1918-1970

   Postcard in the author's collection

Naldera – twscs 16,088gt 1918    slv photo uw Image
                        Greenock No. gr001593
                        1918 converted to troopship               sln photo uw Digita Order
                        1920 entered service to No. a638664
                        Australia
                        1931 transferred to London,
                        Bombay, Far East service
                        1938 scrapped

Postcard in the author's collection

Narkunda – twscs 16,118gt 1920           slv photo of colour postcard
                        Belfast    from painting, Image
                        1920 entered service to                           No.pc003186
Australia. At the time                            sln photo uw Digital Order
                        P & O’s largest ship No. a638681.
                        1931 transferred to                              nla photo (passing under
                        Far East routes after    Sydney harbour bridge)
                        entry into service of         nla.pic-vn3077834
                        Strathnaver and
                        Strathaird
                        1939 back in
                        service to Australia
                        1940 requisitioned
                        as troopship
                        1942 bombed and
                        sunk after landing
                       troops in North
                        Africa -31 killed

Generic postcard in author's collection of.Ballarat II, Balranald I, Baradine I,
Barrabool & Bendigo based on the painting by Jack Spurling of Barrabool below

                    Ballarat (II) – twscs 13,033gt 1921        nmm two photos:
Greenock    No. P17723 am (1922)
  1922 joined the (“Branch    No. P17724 uw
Line”) service to
Australia via the Cape
  1929 the service via
  the Cape was abandoned.
  Transferred to the service
  London, Malta, Suez,
Australia
1935 scrapped

Postcard in the author's collection. A sepia version of the Spurling painting below

Baradine (I) – twscs 13,144gt 1921            sln photo am Digital Order
                       Belfast    No. a636412
                        1921 joined the (“Branch                        slv photo uw Image
                        Line”) service to Australia      No. b38171
                        via the Cape                                             nmm three photos:
                        1929 transferred to the                              No P17729 ut
                        service London, Malta,          No. P17730 uw
                        Suez, Australia.           No. P17731 am
                        1936 last departure
                        from Sydney. Scrapped.

Postcard in the author's collection. Painting by Jack Spurling
                   Barrabool – twscs 13,148gt 1923 sln 4 photos Digital Oder
   Belfast No a636434 uw.
  1923 joineded the (“Branch    No. a636435 aq
  Line”) service to Australia No. a636437 uw
via the Cape of Good Hope    (Colour postcard
1926 quarantined at painting by Jack
Adelaide with 1,200 Spurling)
passengers aboard No. 636438 uw
1930 transferred to    nmm photo ut
the service, London, No.P17733
Malta, Suez, Australia
1936 final sailing
  Australia. Scrapped.

Balranald (I) – twscs 13,039gt 1922        sln 3 photos Digital Order:
Greenock No. a636398 uw
1922 entered the (“Branch    No. a636399 ut
                     Line”) service to Australia    No. a636400 uw
                        via the Cape slv 2 photos uw Image:
                    1929 transferred to           No. b38178
      the service London,         No. b38179
                      Malta, Suez, Australia
                       1936 final sailing to
   Australia. Scrapped

Postcard in the author's collection

Bendigo (II) – twscs 13,039gt 1922        sln photo am Digital Order
                       Greenock                                                    No. a636482
                        1922 entered the (“Branch                      slv photo am Image
                        Line”) service to Australia No. b38169
via the Cape.    nmm 2 photos am
                        1929 transferred to                                   No. P17740
                        the service London,    No. P17742
                        Malta, Suez, Australia
                        1936 final sailing to
                        Australia. Scrapped.

   Postcard in the author's collection. Artist Jack Spurling

Moldavia (II) – twscs 16,436gt 1922       slv photo uw Image
                    Birkenhead No. gr001612
                        1922 criticism of       No. pc002099
                        ship’s appearance (Colour Postcard)
                        with only one funnel.    sln photo aq Digital Order
                        First voyage: No. a638568
                       Tilbury-Bombay      nmm 4 photos
                        1923 joined the No. P17918 uw
                       "intermediate" service    (Pre-1929, one funnel)
                        to Australia - No. P17920 uw
Tilbury, Marseilles, (Post-1927, two funnels)
                        Port Said, Colombo, No. P29709 am
                        Fremantle, Adelaide, (1924, at Gravesend)
                        Melbourne, Sydney No.. N35791 am
                        1928 second class       (1937, at Spithead
                        accommodation Coronation Review)
                        became third class.
                        Second funnel added
                        1930 third class
                        only – 840 passengers
                        1937 final voyage
                         to Australia
                        1938 scrapped

   Postcard in the author's collection.

   Mongolia (III) - twscs 16,385gt 1923    slv colour postcard
Walker-on-Tyne    No. pc003187

1923 first voyage to    (Postcard illustrated)
Australia via Suez   :nla photo of ship near
1930 passenger       Sydney Harbour
accommodation    bridge leaving with
converted to 840    Australian and New
tourist class                                                   Zealand Olympic team
1938 chartered to       members, 1936
New Zealand nmm 2 photos:
Shipping Co. No. P17928
r/n Rimutaka    (1930, off Tilbury on
1950 sold to       occasion of opening
Panamanian    of Tilbury)
Company r/n No. P29715 uw
Europa (1925, Thames at
1955 transferred    Gravesend)
to Liberian flag
r/n Nassau. Engaged
in Carribean cruises
1961 sold to Naviera
Turisticana Mexicana
r/n Acapulco and
modernised
1965 scrapped

Generic Mooltan / Maloja. Artist: Jack Spurling. Postcard in theauthor's collection

Mooltan (III) – twscs 20,847gt 1923      sln colour postc
Belfast    Digital Order
(The first P & O ship to         No. a638618M
exceed 20,000gt, and     (Painting illustrated)
designed with Maloja    sln 6 photos Digital Order:
  as the largest ships able       No. a638619 aq
to transit the Suez Canal)    No. a638620 am
   1923 first voyage London,         No. a638621 ut
Colombo, Melbourne,          No. a638622 am
Sydney             No. a638623 uw
1939 converted to armed         No. a638624 am
merchant cruiser, based      slv photo uw Image
Freetown. Second dummy        No. gr001406
funnel was removed to
improve the arc of fire
of anti-aircraft guns –
later replaced with shorter
funnel
1941 converted to troopship
1942 at North African landings
1947 returned to owners
  and reconditioned
1948 back in commercial
service to Australia
      with 1,030 tourist berths
   new tonnage 21,039gt
1954 scrapped

Maloja (II) – twscs 20,837gt 1923            sln 5 photos Digital Order
                    Belfast No. a638315 am
                     1924 first voyage London,    No. a638316 uw
                   Colombo, Melbourne, No. a638317 aq
                 Sydney       No. a638318
                 1939 converted to armed       (Stopped to pick up)
   merchant cruiser. Second    No. a638319 uw
                   funnel removed to improve slv photo uw Image
                     the arc of fire of A.A. guns No. mp010732
                   – later replaced with nmm 3 photos
                     shorter funnel    No. P814
                   1941 converted to troopship       (1925, aground)
1947 returned to owners       No. P17889 uw
                     1948 back in commercial         (1936)
                     service to Australia with         No. P23327 am
                     1,030 tourist class berths       (c.1941-1945, as
                     1954 scrapped.         a troopship, one
       mast)

Postcard in the author's collection. Artist: Jack Spurling

                  Cathay (II) – twscs 15,104gt 1925 slv 2 photos Image:
                    Glasgow No. gr001408 ut
                      1925 first voyage London,    No. b41335 uw
                    Colombo, Australia    sln photo aq Digital Order
                      1932 Bombay added to       No. a636749
                    route    awm photo ID
                      1939 converted to armed       No. 043194
                    merchant cruiser. On (burning after
                      Bombay-Durbin patrol.    air attack off
                    1942 converted to       Bougie in 1942)
                      troopship. Hit by bombs   nmm 2 photos
                    at Bougie, during the No. P17782 uw
North African landings,   (Copy of an owners
    A delayed action bomb     photograph)
                      caused a fire which set No. N33546 uw
                      off ammunition and (1934, in Thames)
                      her stern was blown
                      off, and. she sank.

Postcard in the author's collection. Artist: Jack Spurling

Comorin (I) – twscs 15,116gt 1925 sln 2 photos Digital Order:
Glasgow No. a637060 uw
1925 entered London, No. a637061
           Colombo, Melbourne, slv 2 photos Image:
Sydney service No. gr001411 ut
1929 Bombay added No. b36310 uw
as a port of call nmm 3 photos
1930 caught fire in    No. P17805 uw
Colombo harbour.      No. N33735 am
After repairs,    (c. 1938 in Thames
          transferred to Far    at Tilbury)

East service        No. N33734 am.
                        1939 converted to       (1937, Coronation
                    armed merchant       Review at Spithead)
                        cruiser and her after
                        funnel removed
                    1941 caught fire
                        in the North Atlantic.
                        Some 450 passengers
                       and crew were taken
                       off in difficult
                      conditions but there
                       were 20 deaths
                       The ship was sunk
                       by gunfire by an
                       escorting destroyer.

   Postcard in the author's collection

Chitral (I) – twscs 15248gt 1925 sln 3 photos Digital Order:
                        Glasgow No. a536822 uw
                        1925 entered service    No. a636823 aq
                       to Australia    No. a636824 uw
                        1932 Bombay added       (view from ster)
                        as a port of call slv 2 photos Image:
                        1939 converted to    No. gr000052 uw
                        armed merchant    No. b39861 ut
                       cruiser and her after    (Feb. 1953, last
funnel removed       voyage)
                        1943 converted    nmm 2 photos
                        to a troopship No. P17797 uw
                        1948 resumed       (Copy of a Ralston
                        service to Australia    photo)
                        carrying 740 UK    No. P21829 uw
                        emigrants    (Post-1948, after
                        1953 scrapped    refit with mainmast
   removed)

   From a postcard in the author's collection. Artist Jack Spurling

Ranpura – twscs 16,688gt 1925    slv photo uw Image
                     Newcastle No.gr001410
                        1925 entered Bombay    sln sepia version of
                        direct service and to Far East     Jack Spurling postcard
                       1929 made one return        above Digital Order
                        voyage London, Bombay, No. a639371
                        Colombo, Melbourne,       nmm photos
                        Sydney    No. P18024 uw
                        1939 converted to an       (Passing Gravesend)
                        armed merchant cruiser    No. P29981 uw
                        1944 sold to Admiralty    (1932, Thames at
                        and refitted as a fleet      Gravesend)
                        repair ship HMS Ranpura
                        1961 scrapped

Postcard in the author's collection. Artist Jack Spurling

Ranchi – twscs 16,738gt 1925                slq b&w photo
                    Newcastle    of colour postcard
1925 entered Bombay       of Ranchi by Jack
                      direct service and toFar East    Spurling above
                      1939 converted to an          Image No. 178764
                      armed Merchant cruiser    sln photo Digital Order
                      and after funnel removed    No.a639632 am
                      1943 converted to            slv 2 photos aq of
                      troopship. Served in        Ranchi in Oct. 1948
                      the Mediterranean, Middle          after refit without
                      East and India areas           second funnel
                      1948 refitted (without     Image Nos. b37997
                      her second funnel)       & gr001616
                      Entered the emigration                              nmm 2 photos
                      service to Australia           No. P18019 uw
                      with 950 berths       (passing Gravesend)
                      1952 last sailing to          No. P23831 ut
                    Australia       (1943-1945,
1953 scrapped.             as troopship)

    Postcard in the author's collection

                    Strathnaver (I) – twscs 22,270gt 1931 slv 3 photos Image:
                        Barrow-in-Furness No. b39623 uw
                        1931 entered the London,       (PreWW2 - 3 funnels)
                        Bombay, Colombo, Melbourne,    No gr001625 uw.
                        Sydney service    (Nov. 1950 - one c
                        1939 converted to a troopship         centre funnel)
                        1943 training ship in Red Sea       No. b38006 uw
                        before invasion of Italy        (Nov.1950, one
                        1948-1949 reconditioned             funnel)
                        and returned to service with     sln photo from Sydney
                        the one centre funnel in harbour bridge
                        place of the original three. Digital Order
                        1950 returned to Australia              No. a639699
                        service         (pre-ww2, 3 funnels)
                        1954, converted to one class nmm 2 photos
                        with 1,252 berths     No. P18092 uw
                        1961 final voyage to           (copy of a builder's
                        Australia, and scrapped        photo)
       No. P24141 am
            (1939-1945, as
              troopship in River
               Mersey)

         Postcard in the author's collection

Carthage (II) – twscs 14,304gt 1931    slv photo (picking
                        Glasgow    up a tug) Image
                        1931 started on Far East route    No. gr000047
                        1932 made one return nmm photos
                        voyage to Australia    No. P17778 uw
                        1939 converted to armed       (2 funnels)
                        merchant cruiser   No. P17781 uw
                        1943 converted in USA         (1 funnel, extremely
                        to a troopship.        distant)
1948 rebuilt with
forward funnel only
Returned to Far East
   service
   1961 scrapped


Postcard in the author's collection

Strathaird – twscs 22,544 1932 slsa photo uw
                        Barrow-in-Furness No. B54373
                        1932 first voyage London,    (c.1939, 3 funnels)
                        Bombay, Colombo, Australia sln photo Sydney
                        1939-1945 troopship, carried    harbour bridge in
                        close to129,000 personnel background, 3 funnels )
                        1946-1947 reconditioned    Digital Order No.a639692
                        and like Strathnaver with                        naa photo aq Image
centre funnel only No. A11666:52
                        1948 returned to    (April 1940, troops
                       Australia service boarding at Melbourne)
                        1954 converted to    slv 2 photos Image:
                        one class with 1,252 No. b38001 am
                        berths (1948, with one funnel)
                        1961 last voyage to      No. b41591 uw
                        Australia. Scrapped (1953, one funnel)

   Postcard in the author's collection

Strathmore (I) – twscs 23,580gt 1935 sln 2 photos Digital Order:
                       Barrow-in-Furness No. 639698 uw
                        1935 placed in London- (pre-WW2 aerial view)
                        Australia service No.639696 uw
                        1939-1945 troopship    (pre-WW2 Sydney harbour)
                        1948-1949 reconditioned    slv photo uw Image
                        1949,returned to service    No. gr001601
                        to Australia, via Bombay (pre-WW2)
                        1961 converted to one    nmm 2 photos:
                        class ship with 1,250 berths No. G4065 aq
                        1963 last voyage to    (1940-1943, Liverpool
                        Australia. Sold to Greek as troopship)
                        buyers, r/n Marianna Latsis. No. N37658 uw
                        Carried Mecca pilgrims from (1953, thames at
                        Karachi.    Gravesend)
                        1966 r/n Henrietta Latsis
                        1969 scrapped

   Postcard in the author's collection

Stratheden – twscs 23,732gt 1937 slv 4 photos Image:
Barrow-in-Furness No. b39620 ut
                        1937 entered service to                           No. b39621 (with tug)
                        Australia     No. b39622 ut
1939-1945 troopship       No. b41330 uw
1946-1947 reconditioned                       sln photo Digital Order
1947 returned to service No. 639695.
to Australia (in harbour)
1950 made four return       nmm 3 photos:
voyages to New York    No.P18085 uw
                        on charter to Cunard (Copy of a builder's
1961 converted to one photo)
class ship No. P24136 am
1963 last Australian    (1943-1945, as
voyage, then chartered    troopship)
to the Travel Savings
Association for cruises
1964 sold to Greek
   buyers r/n Henrietta
  Latsis
   1966 r/n Marianna
   Latsis
   1969 scrapped

      Postcard in the author's collection

Strathallan – twscs 23,722gt 1938    slv 3 photos Image:
   Barrow-in-Furness    No. b38236 uw
   1938 first voyage to    No. b38235 uw
  Australia    No. b39618.
1939 converted  troopship (uw in harbou)
                       1942 during North Africa sln photo Digital Order
landings was torpedoed of    No. 639694 aq
    Oran with 4,000 troops and slq photo b&w of P & O
    250 nurses on board. The colour postcard am
      nurses and 1,000 troops were Image No.179390
    taken off in the ships lifeboats. nmm 2 photos:
    As the list of the ship No. N37642 ut
    developed, the remaining No. N37643
   troops were taken off. When (both1938, Thames
   the fire on board was reaching at Gravesend, 1941,
   the ammunition store, the converted to a troopship
   crew were taken off. The bound out)
ship rolled over and sank
    19 miles from Oran. There
       were 4 killed in the in the
initial torpedo explosion.

    From a postcard in the author's collection
               Himalaya (III) – twscs 27,955gt 1949 sln 4 photos Digital Order:
                       Barrow-in-Furness No.a637687 uw
                       1949 first voyage on the (Colour postcard:
                       London, Bombay, Melbourne, artist unknown)
                       Sydney route No. a637688
                       1958 on the Sydney route (manoeuvring in
                       1959 on the London, Sydney, harbour)
                       trans-Pacific route No. a637689
                       1963 converted to one class    (in harbour)
                       on UK-Australia route    No. a637690 uw
                       1974,last voyage UK-Hong Kong,    (entering harbour)
                       scrapped slv 3 photos Image:
  No. pc000033 uw
(Monochrome of
    postcard, 1960)
No. b39617
(1919 picking up tug)
                                                                                           No. b3959

(1952, with tug)
nmm 2 photos
No. P29428 uw
(1951, Southampton,
tugs assisting)
No. N34862 ut
(1972, Southampton,
   bound out)


   Postcard in the autor's collection

Chusan (III) – twscs 24,215gt 1950 nmm 4 photos
Barrow-in-Furness No. P29046 uw (1951)
                        1950 after some initial    No. P27893 am
                        cruises, a voyage to    (1951-1953,
                        Bombay and then on Mediterranean port)
                        Far East service    No. N33595 uw
                    1959 world cruises    (1954, Thames at
  1963 Australia, Hong Tilbury)
                    Kong. Yokohama service         No. N33601 uw
                      1970 last passenger (1969,Southampton
                    voyage to Bombay Water, bound out)
                    1973 scrapped

       Postcard in the author's collection

Arcadia (II) – twscs 29,664gt 1954 slv 2 photos Image:
                        Clydebank No. mp015123 uw
                        1954 first voyage: London,    No. gr001442 uw
                        Bombay, Colombo,    sln photo of colour
Melbourne, Sydney postcard uw
                        1959 transferred to       Digital Order
                        London, Australia,     No.636217
                        trans-Pacific, San
                        Francisco service
                        1974 cruises to
                        Alaska and Mexico
                      from US West Coast
                      1975 replaced
                       Himalaya on Australia
                       route, then was based
   in Australia
                        1979 scrapped

      Postcard in the author's collection

Iberia (III) – twscs 29,614gt 1954 slsa photo uw
                        Belfast No. B69065
                        1954 first voyage    (1954, leaving
                        London, Bombay, Outer Harbour,
                        Colombo, Melbourne,    Adelaide)
                        Sydney nmm 3 photos:
  1956 suffered extensive       No. P27940 ut
                        damage in a collision    (1954-67, leaving
                        with a tanker off Colombo    Southampton)
                        1959 in trans-Pacific    No. P27948 am
                        service (Cannes)
                        1961 major refit       No.34923 aq
                        1972 last voyage to UK,    (1971, Southampton)
                        cruises
                        1973 scrapped

                      Postcard in the author's collection

Canberra – twscs 45,270gt 1961 nmm 5 photos:
                        Belfast No. P27883
                        1961 first voyage Southampton,    (in Sydney harbour)
                        Colombo, Melbourne, Sydney.   No. P27884
                        Then placed on trans-Pacific route.    (in Sydney harbour)
                        1975 round the world cruising       No. N33435 uw
1982 requisitioned for Falkland's       (1971, Southampton,
campaign. Returned to commercial    dressed overall.
service.    Bound out.)
1986 operating company became       No.N33446
"Canberra Cruises, P&O Limited".    (1975, turning off
1998 scrapped    Ocean Dock
   Southampton
   assisted by tugs)
   No. N33448 uw
     (1975, Southampton
   Waters. Dressed
   overall. Bound out,)

Sources::
     1. Duncan Haws’ “Merchant Fleets in Profile, 1, The ships of the
                     P & O, Orient and Blue Anchor Lines”
   (Patrick Stephens Limited, Cambridge 1978);
2. Stephen Rabson and Kevin O'Donoghue's "P&O A Fleet History"
(World Ship Society, Kendall 1988)
                3. John M. Maber’s “North Star to Southern Cross”
(T. Stephenson & Sons Limited, Prescot, Lancashire 1967)
4. Robert Wall's "Ocean Liner Postcards in Marine Art 1900-1945"
(Antique Collector's Club, Woodbriidge, Suffolk 1998)
5. Warren Moore's "Spurling Sail and Steam"
(Grosset & Dunlap, Inc., U.S.A. 1980)

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