Built as a cargo-passenger vessel under yard No. 509 by the Harland and Wolff Shipyard at Belfast for the British Bibby Line. Ltd., Liverpool.
28 May 1919 launched under the name YORKSHIRE.
Tonnage 10.184grt. 12.209dwt, dim. 504.0 x 58.4 x 43.7ft. draught 32.0ft., bpp. 482ft.
Powered by two geared H&W steamturbines, 6.500 shp., speed 16 knots, twin screws. Four oil-fired boilers. She was the first vessel by the Bibby Line fitted out with turbines.
Passenger accommodation for 305 first class passengers, crew 190.
Six holds.
02 September 1920 completed.
She was used in the Bibby Line regular service from Liverpool to Gibraltar, Marseilles, Port Said, Port Sudan, Colombo, to Rangoon, her return voyage ended in London after discharging there she steamed to Liverpool.
1925 She collided in the Elbe River with the French Steamer GROIX.
She became the U.K. second loss passenger vessel of World War II, when underway from Rangoon to Liverpool in convoy as commodore ship under command of Capt. V.C.P. Smalley with a cargo of paraffin wax and general, 118 passengers and 160 crew when on 17 October 1939 she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-37 in position 44 52N 14 31W about 700 miles West of Bordeaux.
She sent out a wireless call for help, which was heard by the U.S. steamer INDEPENDENCE HALL, she came to the rescue, but to late for many of the crew and passengers of the sunken vessel.
58 People were lost including Capt. Smalley and 24 of his crew.
The 220 rescued people were landed at Bordeaux on the night of the 20 October 1939.
Maldive 1997 3r sg 2696, scott 2227e
Source: Watercraft Philately. Lloyds War Losses, the second world war. Dictionary of disasters at sea during the age of steam by Hocking, Merchant Ships of the world in color 1910-1929 by Laurence Dunn