Mauretania

The first liner built following Cunard’s merger with White Star Line, Mauretania was laid down on 24 May 1937 and entered service on 17 June 1939.

Designed with the London to New York route in mind, Mauretania was named by Lady Mary Ann Bates, wife of Cunard White Star’s then Chairman, Sir Percy Bates.

Mauretania’s first peacetime career came to a quick end when she was requisitioned for military service following the outbreak of World War II.

While alongside, she was repainted in grey and armed with 6-inch guns and other armaments before being utilised for trooping duties.

Her first wartime voyage departed New York on 20 March 1940 bound for Sydney, where her interior was stripped and reconfigured to carry troops. She joined the Queen Mary and Aquitania on her first trooping convoy in May bound for Clydebank. She later sailed from South Africa in convoy with Nieuw Amsterdam carrying South African and Southern Rhodesian troops to the Gulf of Suez.

Mauretania’s primary role switched from carrying Australia, New Zealand and Southern African troops to transporting U.S. troops after America entered the war.

Following her military service, she was returned to Cunard-White Star and, following a significant reconditioning at the Cammell Laird & Co. yard, she was returned to transatlantic service.

Mauretania remained on this service until 1957 when she was reconditioned for use as a cruise ship. Air-conditioning was fitted throughout and, in a subsequent 1962 refit, her hull was painted in the same green colour scheme as used aboard Caronia.

However, Mauretania was not a successful cruise ship and, facing stiff competition from newer, purpose-built vessels, she was withdrawn from service in 1965 and scrapped.

On her delivery to the scrapyard in Fife, Captain John Treasure-Jones navigated the mud straits of the Forth River without the aid of tugs: giving Mauretania one last hurrah!

Image sourced with permission from: Simplon Post Cards