 Ascania at pier 90 in New York | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | RMSAscania |
| Owner | Cunard Line |
| Port of registry |  United Kingdom |
| Builder | Armstrong Whitworth,Newcastle-upon-Tyne. |
| Yard number | 971 |
| Launched | 20 December 1923 |
| Christened | 21 April 1925 |
| Completed | 2 May 1925 |
| Maiden voyage | 22 May 1925 |
| Out of service | December 1956 |
| Fate | Scrapped atNewportMonmouthshire, byJ Cashmore, January 1957. |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage | 14,013 GRT |
| Length | 538 ft (164 m) |
| Beam | 65.3 ft (19.9 m) |
| Decks | 2 decks and shelter deck, forecastle and bridge |
| Installed power | Geared turbine engines: 8,500 shp (6,300 kW) (from builders) |
| Propulsion | Two propellers |
| Speed | 15knots (28 km/h) |
| Capacity | 500 cabin class, 1,200 3rd class passengers (as built) |
| Crew | 270 |
RMSAscania was anocean liner operated by theCunard Line. She was launched on 20 December 1923 at theArmstrong Whitworth Shipbuilders Ltd yard inNewcastle-upon-Tyne; the fifth of Cunard's six A-class liners. Due to unforeseen cost overruns, the vessel was not completed until May 1925. Following service in a number of military roles during theSecond World War, she was refitted and returned to civilian use in 1950, finally retiring in 1956.
Her maiden voyage was betweenLondon (cargo)-Southampton-Quebec-Montreal starting on 22 May 1925; she was employed on this route, switching toHalifax, Nova Scotia and New York during the winter, untilWorld War II. In July 1927 her accommodation was altered to cabin, tourist and third class, and in March 1939 to cabin and third class.[1] In December 1934Ascania rescued the crew of the sinking cargo ship SSUnsworth in mid-Atlantic.Ascania herself ran into trouble on 2 July 1938 when she ran aground in theSt. Lawrence River, near Bic Island, Quebec. Her 400 passengers were taken off by the Canadian Pacific cargo linerBeaverford whileAscania's crew remained aboard to refloat the liner which was repaired and returned to service a few months later.[2]
On 24 August 1939, she was taken into naval service and converted into anarmed merchant cruiser. Armed with eight6-inch (152 mm) and two3-inch (76 mm) naval guns, she became HMSAscania with thepennant number F68. She sailed with the Halifax Escort Force and later with the North Atlantic Escort Force onconvoy protection duty. From November 1941 to September 1942 she deployed to the New Zealand station. In October 1942, she was returned to the UK and was employed as atroopship by theMinistry of War Transport.[3] The following year,Ascania was modified into aLanding Ship Infantry and took part in theInvasion of Sicily in 1943, and theAnzio Landings andlandings in the south of France in 1944.[4][5]
Ascania was returned to Cunard and refitted, resuming passenger service on 20 December 1947 on theLiverpool to Halifax route. She underwent a major refit in 1949, to 14,440 gross register tons (GRT) and with accommodation for 200 first and 500 tourist class passengers,[1] and returned to service on 21 April 1950 on the Liverpool-Quebec-Montreal route.Ascania was again taken up as a troopship for theSuez landings[3] and finally retired in December 1956.
Ascania's bell is on display at theMaritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is located in the 'Visible Storage' display cases section of the museum on the second floor. In addition, a large cut-away model is displayed at theCanadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 next to the landing deck whereAscania once docked.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1938 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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