Ascania (Isle of Man 2011 Genealogy Issue)
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:50 pm
You may be interested to know that the ship depicted on one of the 67p stamps SG 1645 is Cunard's Ascania. I have had that checked out with the designer of the stamp and the Isle of Man Philatelic Bureau.
Ascania was the fifth of Cunard's six A liners. Although she was launched late in 1923, her completion was delayed and she did not make her maiden voyage, from London to Montreal, until 22 May 1925.
She remained on that route until 1939 when, like all the A liners, she was requisitioned as an armed merchant cruiser. She was later converted into an infantry landing ship and took part in the invasion of Sicily and the landing at Anzio in 1943.
In September 1947 she returned to Cunard and made her first post-war voyage, from Liverpool to Halifax, on 20 December. In 1949 the passenger accommodation was restructured to house 200 1st class and 500 cabin class passengers. After this it returned to the Liverpool to Montreal route, as there were large numbers of people emigrating to Canada at this time. The stamp from Isle of Man recalls the numbers who left from Douglas to begin a new life in Canada.
Ascania again saw service as a troop carrier during the 1956 Suez crisis before being sold later that year and sent to the breakers in 1957.
W S Wilson, Ibiscus
Ascania was the fifth of Cunard's six A liners. Although she was launched late in 1923, her completion was delayed and she did not make her maiden voyage, from London to Montreal, until 22 May 1925.
She remained on that route until 1939 when, like all the A liners, she was requisitioned as an armed merchant cruiser. She was later converted into an infantry landing ship and took part in the invasion of Sicily and the landing at Anzio in 1943.
In September 1947 she returned to Cunard and made her first post-war voyage, from Liverpool to Halifax, on 20 December. In 1949 the passenger accommodation was restructured to house 200 1st class and 500 cabin class passengers. After this it returned to the Liverpool to Montreal route, as there were large numbers of people emigrating to Canada at this time. The stamp from Isle of Man recalls the numbers who left from Douglas to begin a new life in Canada.
Ascania again saw service as a troop carrier during the 1956 Suez crisis before being sold later that year and sent to the breakers in 1957.
W S Wilson, Ibiscus