RMS Ausonia
| Company type | Ocean liner, Armed merchant cruiser, Repair ship |
|---|---|
| Industry | Maritime transport, Naval service |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Headquarters | Newcastle , United Kingdom |
| Products | Passenger and cargo transport; naval repair services |
RMS Ausonia was among the six "A-class" ocean liners commissioned by Cunard Line after World War I, specifically designed to serve the Canadian route. She was launched in 1921.
History
Constructed by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. in Newcastle, Ausonia was launched on 22 March 1921 and completed by June of the same year. Her inaugural voyage commenced on 31 August 1921, sailing from Liverpool to Montreal. In the following season, she was deployed on the London to Canada service.
In December 1938, approximately 50 American veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade—returning from the Spanish Civil War—traveled aboard Ausonia from Le Havre, France, via England and Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving in New York City on 20 December 1938.
On 29 April 1939, English composer Benjamin Britten and tenor Peter Pears embarked from Southampton aboard Ausonia bound for Canada, initiating a three-year stay in North America. Britten initially described the journey as "bloody boring," though it later encountered a "terrific gale" and even "ice bumping against the ship." Near the end of their voyage, they performed a recital featuring voice and piano.[1]
With British entry into the Second World War imminent, Ausonia was swiftly docked at Quebec on 2 September 1939 and repainted grey.[2] Following the outbreak of war, the Admiralty requisitioned Ausonia and converted her into an armed merchant cruiser. She was commissioned on 7 November 1939 with the pennant number F53. Her armament included eight 6-inch (152 mm) guns complemented by two 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft guns.[3] Operating in the Atlantic, her first commanding officer was Mark Pizey, who later attained the rank of Admiral.[4]
In May 1942, after being acquired outright by the Admiralty, she underwent conversion into a heavy repair ship, during which her previous weaponry was removed and replaced with twenty Oerlikon 20 mm cannons for close-range defense.[4][5] She served throughout the remainder of World War II in the Far East.[4]
Following her Far East deployment, Ausonia was placed in reserve at Chatham. She was recommissioned on 16 September 1958 at Devonport, subsequently assigned as a repair ship for the Mediterranean Fleet stationed in Malta, taking over duties from Ranpura.[4][6] Over time, her responsibilities expanded to include serving as a depot ship for submarines and minesweepers based in Malta by 1962. She departed Malta on 7 August 1964,[4] returning to Portsmouth on 18 August where she was laid up. In September 1965, having been sold for dismantling, she left Portsmouth en route to be scrapped at Castellón de la Plana, Spain.[6]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Carpenter 1992, pp. 128–129
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lenton & Colledge 1973, p. 303
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lenton & Colledge 1973, p. 368
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Critchley 1982, p. 82
References
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