SS Drottningholm
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: |
|
| Owner: |
|
| Route: |
|
| Builder: | Alexander Stephen and Sons, Glasgow |
| Launched: | 22 December 1904[1] |
| Maiden voyage: | 6 April 1905[1] |
| Fate: | Feb 1955: scrapped at Trieste |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Passenger liner and cargo |
| Tonnage: | 10,757 gross register tons (GRT)[1] |
| Length: | 538 ft (164 m) |
| Beam: | 60.3 ft (18.4 m) |
| Depth: | 38 ft (12 m) |
| Propulsion: | Steam Turbine |
| Speed: | 18 kn |
| Capacity: | 1712 passengers |
RMS Virginian was a steam turbine powered transatlantic ocean liner, launched in 1904 for the Allan Line. She operated from 1920 to 1948 for the Swedish American Line as SS Drottningholm.
Career
Built in 1905 by Alexander Stephen and Sons in Glasgow for the Allan Line of Canada. Commissioned as SS Virginian, she served the Allan Line, as a sistership to RMS Victorian from 1905 until 1920. In 1912, she was one of several ships in wireless radio communication with RMS Titanic, giving iceberg warnings, and at one point erroneous wireless messages had Virginian towing Titanic to Halifax, Nova Scotia and that all on board Titanic were safe. Such a report appeared in the Daily Mirror on 16 April 1912.[2]
World War I
During World War I she served as a troop transport ship for Canada and Armed Merchant Cruiser for Royal Navy.[3] On 21 August 1917 she was damaged by the German submarine U-102.[4]
In 1920, she was sold to the Swedish American Line and renamed SS Drottningholm, serving Sweden until 1948, notably under the command of Captain John Nordlander.[1]
World War II
During 1942 the ship was sporting a sign displaying "Diplomat - Drottninghol Sverge" on its sides when transporting diplomats from Liverpool to North America. In September 1944 it was being used by the Red Cross to transport POW's and civilians being repatriated from Germany to the UK via Sweden, under the command of Captain John Nordlander. Another voyage in April 1945 docked in Liverpool that included 212 ex-interned Channel Islanders.[5]:172-9
From 1948–1955 she sailed for the Home Lines of Italy, first as SS Brasil and from 1951 as SS Homeland.
