S.S. "EMPRESS OF BRITAIN" of 1931

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"EMPRESS OF BRITAIN" built by JOHN BROWN at Clydebank in 1931 is considered to be one of the most remarkable Passenger Liners of the 20th century, she was a little over 42.000 G.T. with a beautiful profile with three massive funnels, she was capable of a service speed of 24 knots and was operated by CANADIAN PACIFIC on the Southampton to Quebec service. During her maiden voyage on the 27.5.1931 she achieved the impressive top speed of 25.72 knots, reaching Quebec from Cherbourg in just over five days, despite her speed her fuel consumption was very low and she was considered to be a very reliable ship, because of her speed she could sail from Southampton once a fortnight. During the winter months she used to do around the world voyages that would take about five months visiting 80 ports. In 1938 she brought back to the UK the Royal Family from Halifax, her last commercial trip was on the 2.9.1939, on her arrival at Quebec she was requisitioned by the Government to become a troopship. It was during her war career that she met her end, when en route from Cape Town to Liverpool, via Suez, she was attacked off the coast of Ireland and set ablaze by a German bomber on the 26.10.1940, two days later she was torpedoed by a U32 and sunk.

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