Monarch of Bermuda

[shipstamps]

This vessel appears on the ld and 1.1/2d stamps of Bermuda on the left hand side of the stamp, while to the right of her is an American lumber schoo¬ner. The Monarch of Bermuda was built in 1931 for Furness Withy Company, and, with her sister ship the Queen of Bermuda, ran a regular service between Hamilton, the capital of Ber¬muda, and New York.
When war broke out the "Monarch" as she was usually called for short, re¬turned to Britain, and was made into a troopship in Liverpool. All her luxury passenger fittings were taken out. She sailed before 1940 with her first ship¬load of troops.
She landed in Norway and evacuated them from there, and damaged in doing so. She also made voyages across the Atlantic, to West Africa, the Middle East, South Africa, and elsewhere. United States troops were taken by her to North Africa and to the various theatres of war in the Mediterranean Sea. Later still she carried large numbers of troops to the Normandy beach-head for the invasion of France in 1944 and was trooping until the war ended.
After the war the Monarch of Bermuda went to the River Tyne to be fitted for carrying passen¬gers once more on the New York-Bermuda ser¬vice. Unfortunately she caught fire while she was being changed back into a passenger liner from a troopship, and all the passenger quarters were completely destroyed as was the bridge and all the top decks of the ship.
However, after a survey of the damage, it was decided to change the vessel into an emigrant ship and she was sold for this purpose, her name being changed to "NEW AUSTRALIA", her new own¬ers being the British and Australian govern¬ments. Shaw, Savill and Albion Co., Ltd., acted as managers of the ship and ran her for the two Govern¬ments. She left Southampton on her first voyage for her new owners.
On the stamp she is shown as she was in her pre-war days. Then she had a grey hull, and three funnels in the Furness Withy colours. As rebuilt the New Australia carried 1,600 passengers, who were accommodated in six berth cabins. She had a crew of 500. The vessel is 579 ft. 6 in in length, 83 ft 6 ins in breadth, and has a gross tonnage of 20,256 tons. She ran between Southampton and Australia, carrying Brit¬ish settlers to the Dominion under a special agreement between the two Governments. SG110 and 111b

[aukepalmhof]

Prohibition in the United States and the nice climate in Bermuda was the reason that two turbo-electric passenger-cargo ships were built the MONARCH OF BERMUDA and
QUEEN OF BERMUDA for the service between Bermuda and New York.

The MONARCH OF BERMUDA depict on this stamps was built under yard No 1 at Vickers-Armstrong at High Walker for the Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda.
17 March 1931 launched as the MONARCH OF BERMUDA.
Tonnage 22,424 gross, 12,876 net, 168.6 (bpp) x 23.4 m.
Powered by two sets steam turbines connected to electro motors, four shafts, speed 20 knots.
Three funnels one was a dummy.
Accommodation for 730 passengers, crew 456.
November 1931 delivered to owners.

---------
Early 1958 sold to Ormos Shipping Co. Ltd, London not renamed.
The same year sold to Arcadia SS Co. Andros, Greece and renamed ARKADIA refitted by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg. Accommodation for 1,300 passengers.
Her first sailing for the new owners was on 22 May 1958 from Bremerhaven to Montreal with also calls at Cherbourg, Southampton, Liverpool, Greenock and Quebec.
1961 Passenger accommodation altered to 50 first class and 1,337 tourist class, tonnage 20,648 grt.
In this service till November 1966 with various ports of call between North Europa and Canada.
November 1966 laid up in River Fall, U.K.
18 December 1966 sold to Spanish shipbreakers at Valencia for scrapping.

Source:Various internet sites and Log Book.

Bermuda 1938 1/1½d SG110 and 111b scott? 1940 ½/1d sg122, scott? (The schooner on the stamp is the American J W CLISE.)