HMT Royal George

HMT Royal George

History
Name	HMT Royal George
Owner	Egyptian Mail Steam Ship Co. Ltd., London
Builder	Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd.
Yard number	449
Launched	28 May 1907
Completed	May 1907
In service	15 Nov 1907
Out of service	1922
Fate	broken up at Wilhemshaven on 14 Aug 1922
General characteristics
Type	Passenger / cargo
Tonnage	11,146 tons
Length	525 ft 8 in (160.22m)
Beam	60 ft 2 in (18.34m)
Depth	27 ft (8.23m)
Propulsion	three screws
Speed	19 knots (35.19 km/h)
Capacity	1,154 passengers

Remarks

Launched in 1907 for the Egyptian Mail Steamship Company and named Heliopoli. Laid up in Marseilles when taken back by the builders (payment issues??) in 1909 and offered for sale. In 1910 she was purchased by Canadian Northern Steamships of Toronto and renamed Royal George. Refitted for the North Atlantic service, she commenced Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal sailings, and on 6 Nov 1912 she stranded near Quebec, before being refloated and then sailed to Halifax for further repairs. She resumed Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal voyages on 17 Jun 1913.

On 3rd Oct 1914 she sailed from Gaspe Bay for Plymouth with part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was then taken over as a British troopship and was involved in the Dardanelles campaign during 1915. The fleet was purchased by Cunard Steam Ship Co in 1916, but the Royal George continued trooping for the rest of the war.

She resumed passenger voyages on 10 Feb 1919 when she started the first of five Liverpool - Halifax - New York sailings and started her first Southampton - Halifax - New York voyage on 15 Aug 1919. Her last voyage on this service commenced 10th Jun 1920 and she was then used as an emigrant depot ship at Cherbourg, later being laid up in the River Fal before being towed to Wilhemshaven, Germany for breaking up.

Soldiers carried

Alexandria to Mudros 12 - 18 Nov 1915

• † Victor Henry Marshall Anzac Cove by 8 Dec 1915