MONOWAI liner 1925

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a passenger-cargo vessel under yard No 659 by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Greenock for the Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co, (P&O Line).
16 October 1924 launched as the RAZMAK.
Named after a small town and district now in northern Pakistan, but in 1925 in the Punjab province of British India.
Tonnage 10,602 gross, 4,937 net, 5,014 dwt., dim. 500.4 x 63.2 x 34.0ft.
Powered by two quadruple expansion four cylinder steam engines, manufactured by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast, 12,000 ihp, twin shafts, speed 18 knots.
Two funnels, three decks.
She did have a straight stem and an elliptical stern.
Passenger accommodation for 142 first, 142 second class. Cargo capacity 131.460 cubic feet.
26 February 1925 she ran trials and delivered the same day to owners.

She was built for de Aden to Bombay fortnightly shuttle service.
1926 Was she placed in the Marseilles to Bombay service.
November 1930 sold to the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand Ltd., Wellington and renamed MONOWAI after the company lost her passenger liner TAHITI.
She was placed in the service from Sydney to Wellington, Raratonga, Tahiti and San Francisco route in December 1930.
1931 Passenger accommodation altered in 224 salon, 69 second and 108 third class.

During the depression years and the competition from the heavily USA Matson Line, the line was losing money and in 1932 the MONOWAI was transferred to the cross Tasman Sea run between Wellington and Sydney. She was very popular by passengers in this service.

21 October 1939 requisitioned by the New Zealand Government, and on 30 August 1940 commissioned as an armed merchant cruiser.
Armed with 8 – 6 inch guns, later 4 – 3 inch guns added.
September 1943 arrived at Liverpool for conversion to a Landing Ship (Infantry) and subsequently served at the Normandy landings.

31 August 1946 returned to owners and she commenced reconditioning at the Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co. Ltd., Sydney.
November 1948 tonnage 11,037 gross, 4,751 net.
Passenger accommodation 142 salon, 142 second and 108 third class passengers.
19 January 1949 sailed for her first post-war commercial voyage between Wellington and Sydney, she made later also some cruises.
June 1960 sold for £165,000 to the Far East Shipping and Trading Co. Ltd., for demolition, and the MONOWAI was deliver to the new company on 13 September 1960 at Hong Kong.

On a brass plaque, what was presented to the MONOWAI after the war, her war service was given, the brass plaque is now in the Wellington Maritime Museum.

MONOWAI WAR SERVICE 1939-1946

August 1940-June 1943 Armed merchant cruiser of the Royal New Zealand Navy, mainly in Pacific area mileage steamed 140,000.
June 1943-August 1946; Troop transport in European, Black Sea, Mediterranean, Indian and west African areas; carried 105,000 troops and civilian repatriates, mileage steamed 121,000.
On D’ Day 06th June 1944 as a landing ship for assault troops participated in the initial landing at ‘Gold Beach’ Normandy and during the campaign carried 73,000 men to France.

Cook Islands 1932 6d sg142, scott 89, 1935 6d sg115, scott96. 1944 6d sg?, scott121.
Niue 1932 6d sg67, scott58. 1935 6d sg71, scott65 and 1944 6d sg?, scott82
French Polynesia 1978 30f sg285, scott?

Source: Passenger Ships of Australia and New Zealand by Peter Plowman. Great Ships of the Union Line 1875-1976 A Century of Style by N.H.Brewer.

[D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen]

French Polynesia 2001, 85 fr.