RMS Franconia (1922)
Encyclopedia
The RMS Franconia was an ocean liner
operated by the Cunard Line
from 1922 to 1956. She was the most famous of three liners named Franconia which served the Cunard Line, the others being Franconia (I) in 1910
and Franconia (III)
in 1963.
, Scotland
. Her maiden voyage was between Liverpool and New York in June 1923; she was employed on this route in the summer months until World War II
. In the winter she was used on world cruises. She was involved in a collision in Shanghai
harbour in April 1929 with an Italian gunboat and a Japanese cargo steamer.
with the Armed Merchant Cruiser Alcantara
, but was repaired in time to participate in the ill-fated Norwegian campaign
. On 16 June 1940, while en route to St Nazaire as part of Operation Ariel
(the evacuation of the Second British Expeditionary Force from France), she was damaged by near-misses from German bombs and had to be escorted back to Liverpool for repairs..
Later in the war, she took troops to India
and took part in landings at Madagascar
, North Africa
, Italy
and the Azores
. In 1945 she was used as a headquarters ship for Winston Churchill
and the British delegation at the Yalta Conference
. At the end of the war in Europe, Franconia made several trips across the Atlantic carrying returning US troops and refugees. After VJ Day she was employed repatriating British troops, including freed Prisoners of War, from India
. During her government service, she had covered 319,784 miles and carried 189,239 military personnel.
to Quebec
and Liverpool to Halifax
routes. In July 1950 she went aground on the Île d'Orléans
in the Saint Lawrence River
after leaving Quebec. After being pulled off the reef she was repaired and resumed in service on the Canadian run in September 1950. The Franconia was retired in 1956 with her sister ship the RMS Ascania (1923)
having been replaced on the Canadian run by the Saxonia, Ivernia and the Carinthia. Fraconia's pre-war around-the-world cruises and distinguished wartime service made her a popular name within Cunard so in 1963, the RMS Ivernia
was renamed Franconia to continue the name within the company.
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
operated by the Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
from 1922 to 1956. She was the most famous of three liners named Franconia which served the Cunard Line, the others being Franconia (I) in 1910
RMS Franconia (1910)
The RMS Franconia was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. She was launched on 23 July 1910 at the Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson shipyard in Newcastle upon Tyne....
and Franconia (III)
RMS Ivernia
' was a Saxonia class ocean liner, built in 1955 by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland for Cunard Line, for their transatlantic passenger service between the UK and Canada. In 1963 she was rebuilt as a cruise ship and renamed RMS Franconia, after the famous pre-war liner RMS Franconia...
in 1963.
Pre-War
She was launched on 21 October 1922 at the John Brown & Co shipyard in ClydebankClydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Her maiden voyage was between Liverpool and New York in June 1923; she was employed on this route in the summer months until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the winter she was used on world cruises. She was involved in a collision in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
harbour in April 1929 with an Italian gunboat and a Japanese cargo steamer.
Wartime Service
In September 1939, she was taken into service as a troop transport after refitting at Liverpool. She was involved in a collision off MaltaMalta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
with the Armed Merchant Cruiser Alcantara
MS Alcantara (1927)
RMS Alcantara was an ocean liner of the Royal Mail Lines, a successor to the that had been sunk in World War I.Alcantara was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, and launched in 1927. She ran the route from Southampton to the east coast of South America...
, but was repaired in time to participate in the ill-fated Norwegian campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
. On 16 June 1940, while en route to St Nazaire as part of Operation Ariel
Operation Ariel
Operation Ariel was the name given to the World War II evacuation of Allied forces from ports in western France, from 15–25 June 1940, due to the military collapse in the Battle of France against Nazi Germany...
(the evacuation of the Second British Expeditionary Force from France), she was damaged by near-misses from German bombs and had to be escorted back to Liverpool for repairs..
Later in the war, she took troops to India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
and took part in landings at Madagascar
Battle of Madagascar
The Battle of Madagascar was the Allied campaign to capture Vichy-French-controlled Madagascar during World War II. It began on 5 May 1942. Fighting did not cease until 6 November.-Geo-political:...
, North Africa
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
, Italy
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
and the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. In 1945 she was used as a headquarters ship for Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and the British delegation at the Yalta Conference
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference, sometimes called the Crimea Conference and codenamed the Argonaut Conference, held February 4–11, 1945, was the wartime meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, represented by President Franklin D...
. At the end of the war in Europe, Franconia made several trips across the Atlantic carrying returning US troops and refugees. After VJ Day she was employed repatriating British troops, including freed Prisoners of War, from India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. During her government service, she had covered 319,784 miles and carried 189,239 military personnel.
Post-war
Franconia was returned to Cunard in June 1948 and was refitted on Clydeside; finally resuming passenger service on 2 June 1949 on the LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Liverpool to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
routes. In July 1950 she went aground on the Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans is located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The island was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians can trace ancestry to early residents of the island...
in the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
after leaving Quebec. After being pulled off the reef she was repaired and resumed in service on the Canadian run in September 1950. The Franconia was retired in 1956 with her sister ship the RMS Ascania (1923)
RMS Ascania (1923)
The RMS Ascania was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. She was launched on 20 December 1923 at the Armstrong Whitworth Shipbuilders Ltd yard in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; the fifth of Cunard's six "A" class liners...
having been replaced on the Canadian run by the Saxonia, Ivernia and the Carinthia. Fraconia's pre-war around-the-world cruises and distinguished wartime service made her a popular name within Cunard so in 1963, the RMS Ivernia
RMS Ivernia
' was a Saxonia class ocean liner, built in 1955 by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland for Cunard Line, for their transatlantic passenger service between the UK and Canada. In 1963 she was rebuilt as a cruise ship and renamed RMS Franconia, after the famous pre-war liner RMS Franconia...
was renamed Franconia to continue the name within the company.