RMS Ascania (ship, 1925)
 The Ascania in World War II
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The RMS Ascania (II) was an ocean liner put into service in 1925 by the British shipping company Cunard Line , which was used in passenger and mail traffic between Great Britain and Canada . She remained in service until 1956 and was scrapped in Wales the following year .
The ship
The 14,013 GRT large, from steel -built steam ship Ascania was one of six sister ships of the "A" class, which in the 1920s provided the Cunard Line in the first half in service. The others were the Ausonia (II), the Andania (II), the Aurania (III), the Antonia and the Alaunia (II).
It was acquired by Armstrong-Whitworth & Co. Ltd. built in High Walker and launched on December 20, 1923. Due to increasing construction costs, the ship was not completed until 17 months later. The 163.98 meter long and 19.90 meter wide passenger and mail ship had a chimney, two masts and two propellers and was powered by steam turbines that made 8500 Shaft Horsepower (SHP). The top speed was 15 knots. The ship could carry 500 passengers in the cabin class and 1200 in the third class.
On 22 May 1925, ran Ascania in Southampton for its maiden voyage to Quebec and Montreal from. This remained her traditional route during her service. Quebec and Montreal were called in the summer, while Halifax was headed for in the winter season due to the icy St. Lawrence River . In July 1927, their passenger accommodations were divided into cabin class, tourist class and third class (in March 1939 the tourist class was abolished again). In December 1934, the Ascania rescued the crew of the sinking cargo steamer Unsworth in the North Atlantic .
War effort
On August 12, 1939, the Ascania left Southampton on her last voyage in peacetime. On September 4, 1939, she was requested by the British Admiralty for service as an Armed Merchant Cruiser and converted accordingly. It was equipped with eight 152-mm guns and two 76-mm guns and entered service with the tactical identifier F68 on October 16, 1939. She served as an escort ship with the Halifax Escort Force and later with the North Atlantic Escort Force. From November 1941 to September 1942 she served in the New Zealand station.
On October 29, 1942 she was returned to the United Kingdom and came under the control of the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1943 the ship was converted into a landing craft and as such took part in Operation Husky (July / August 1943), Operation Shingle (January 1944) and Operation Dragoon (August / September 1944).
After the war
On December 20, 1947, the RMS Ascania resumed its civilian service on the route from Southampton to Halifax. In autumn 1949, the ship was completely renovated and provided with accommodation for 200 first class passengers and 500 in tourist class. The conversions increased the tonnage to 14,440 GRT. On April 21, 1950, the Ascania returned to its original route from Southampton to Quebec and Montreal. From September 30, 1955, Le Havre was also used as a stopover before crossing the Atlantic. On October 26, 1956, the Ascania ran out on her last scheduled voyage. After that it was used for a troop trip to Cyprus . On December 30, 1956, she drove from Southampton to Newport in Wales, where she arrived on January 1, 1957 and then worked for John Cashmore Ltd. was scrapped.
The ship's bell of the Ascania and a model showing the inner workings of the ship are now on permanent display in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax.