Orient
Line RmS Ormonde -1918 to 1952
Maritime Historian,
Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Commenced in the
Passenger Shipping Industry in 1960
*Photographs and images on
this page are from the Author’s Private collection, unless
otherwise noted.
With
some six 12,000 GRT (Gross Registered Ton) liners already
operating on the London / Australia service, Orient Line decided
to build a ship of a relatively similar design, but at almost
15,000 GRT. Thus, on October 21, 1913 the keel of the new Orient
liner was laid in Yard 425 at the John Brown & Co Ltd,
shipyards at
Yet due to the war being very close, there was a demand for troopships thus early in 1917 work on the ship recommenced and she was completed with spartan quarters suitable for troops. On February 10, 1917 she was launched without a ceremony, or any fuss, and she remained un-named, and she was towed to the John Brown Fit-Out Berth where she would be completed.
Then
in October 1917, she was officially requisitioned under the
“Liner Requisition Scheme” as a Troop Transport ship. A
month later, on November 3, 1917 the completed troopship was
delivered to the Orient Line. On December 5, she was officially
registered at
November 19, 1917 Troopship Ormonde sailed from
Photo from the
State Library of
During her service, the trooper, Ormonde was
attacked on three occasions by U-boats, yet she survived each
attack! Ormonde’s last Government voyage departed on April
8, 1919 and she repatriated wives, and families of serviceman
from
Her First Class public venues were traditionally fitted out in true British style of the time, with rich timbers, marble, fine carpets, incorporating the best furnishings and the Main Lounge features a grand partially stained glass dome in the centre of the venue, as well as a grand stairwell going down aft of the room. The Dinning Room was blessed with a great deal of light due to the many large windows, thus it was a bright and a fine venue to dine in. The ceilings were superbly embossed and the chairs were of the highest quality and ensured great comfort. Cabins also were well designed, offering from deluxe suites to twin bedded staterooms to single bedded cabins. Second Class public venues were similar to First Class, although of a somewhat lesser grandeur. Cabins also were of a high standard, but offering from single, twin, up to four berth cabins. Third Class was to say the least very humble, as this class was essentially for the migrant service, and although there were some four, six, and eight berth cabins, but also larger dormitories. Public venues were simple halls with bench seating and dinning rooms very similar, bench seating with long tables.
Photographs: Please note, these photographs come out of a very old catalogue that has both the Deck Plan of the Ormond, which can be seen on Page Two, and some of these images, others are also from my collection. I am sorry for their imperfect state, but it is better than nothing, and I have tried to improve them as much as was possible. I commence with First Class and then to Third Class as sadly I only have a single image of a Second Class cabin. Enjoy!
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-
Left is the
First Class Smoking Room aft on Promenade (B) Deck – Right
is the Drawing room forward but just aft of the Lounge
A typical First Class two bedstead cabin with a window
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They are
amazingly similar, but you will note certain differences as the
2nd.class is superior.
RMS stands
for “Royal Mail Ship” as these British ships operated a
postal service
Her schedule was as follows:
full-fare
paying passengers and her we her departure as family and friends
come and wave goodbye!
On April 2, 1920 the Ormonde struck the bank
whilst in the Suez Canal, which damaged two blades of her port
propeller, yet, she was able to continue to
In 1922 Orient Line offered the British public
the very first programme of cruises to
Considering her the Ormonde was built as a coal
fired ship, but Orient Line had decided to convert her to burn a
more economical oil fuel, which was done in April 1923.
She returned to service and her new oil burning
fuel system rapidly proved to be cost effective! The Ormonde just
happened to be in Sydney on Australia’s most special Day of
the year in 1931, as it was “Foundation (or Regatta)
Day” that just four years later in 1935 officially became
known as “Australia Day” and is a public holiday.
However, it was a long established custom to have a regatta of
vintage vessels and yachts sail from Sydney Heads and sail under
Then the Ormonde was given yet another change in 1933, as she was given a refit to become a One Class Liner, accommodating just 770 Tourist Class passengers and she was listed as being 14,983 GRT. She returned to duties, but this time operating together with the veteran RMS Orsova, which commenced her maiden voyage on June 29, 1909.
The 12,036 GRT - RMS Orsova was sadly broken up just three years later in 1936
Their new schedule was as follows.
Some three years later, on September 23, 1936
the RMS Ormonde caught small fire between Melbourne and Sydney
and she put in to the old whaling anchorage at “Twofold
Bay” and remained overnight and continued to Sydney the next
day.
RMS Ormonde
is seen in
This is a fine stern view of the ship!
Photographer is unknown - Please see the photo notes at the bottom of the page
A superb photograph of her Sports Deck in her early days
Photograph was
sourced from a glass negative purchased at an
& is owned & kindly provided to ssmaritime by Fredrik Thorsen
November 1939 with World War Two commencing,
she was once again called upon by the Admiralty, who
requisitioned her to become a troop transport ship once again.
She was again refitted at her builder’s yards receiving
1,560 berths for troops.
She was despatched on May 30, 1940 to assist
with the withdrawal from Narvik, north in
During 1941/1942 the Ormonde operated trooping
services to
Photograph by & © John Currin
In November 1942 the Ormond landed troops in
Having steamed over 300,000 miles and
transported more than that 120,000 troops the Ormonde was
released from government services and the head for the Cammell
Laird shipyards at
On October 10, 1947 the RMS Ormonde departed
She is seen
here in the
Photo from the
State Library of
Upon her return voyages to the
berthed
together at Station Pier Melbourne on February 28, 1948
Photographer is unknown - Please see the photo notes at the bottom of the page
In March 1950 the Ormonde was chartered to
Dutch government to help evacuate their citizens who were
escaping the troubled from
as K-Force
troops head for
Photo from the
Alexander Turnbull Library,
However the Ormonde continued her regular line
voyages to and from
Type:……………………………………….Passenger liner.
P&O Group service:…………………1918-1952.
Registered owners:…………………Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd.
Managers:……………………………….Anderson Green & Company Ltd.
Operators:………………………………..Orient Line.
Builders:………………………………….John
Brown & Co Ltd,
Yard number:………………………….425.
Registry:………………………………….London,
Official number:………………………141866.
Signal letters:………………………….JRQF.
Classification Society:…………….Lloyd’s Register.
Gross Tonnage:………………………14,853 GRT as built.
1933:………………………………………14,983 GRT after refit in 1933.
Net Tonnage:………………………….9,053 NRT.
Deadweight:……………………………8,113 tons
Length:…………………………………..599.1ft - 182,5m.
Breadth:………………………………….66.7ft - 20.32m.
Draught:…………………………………27.4ft - 8.327m.
Propulsion:…………………………….4 Geared steam turbines, by John Brown.
Power:………………………….…………2,120 NHP, 15,000 SHP.
Propellers:………………………………Twin Screws
Service Speed:……………………….18 knots, Max 24.6 knots.
Passengers:…………………………….278 First, 196 Second & 1,017 Third Class.
1933:………………………………………779 Tourist Class.
1949:……………………………………..1,052 One Class.
Crew 1919:…………………………….497.
Cargo Capacity:………………………370,398 cubic feet - including …
……………………………………………….101,635 cubic feet Refrigerated Space.
Livery:…………………………………….Black hull, buff funnels, red boot topping.
Employment:………………………….UK
to
……………………………………………….Troopship operations WWI & WW2.
Between October 1947 and the end of 1952, the RMS Ormonde operated 17 emigrant voyages, which saw a good 17,500 British emigrants come to Australia and the ship was a good old liner but her machinery was aging, yet the ship generally was in good shape, but Orient Line had commenced building magnificent new and much larger liners! Thus soon it was her time to say Good Bye.
The Ormonde departed London for her very last ever voyage to Australia on Thursday August 21, 1952 and she returned to the United Kingdom, arriving at Tilbury for the final time on Wednesday November 19, 1952.
Her long
payoff pennant can be clearly seen flying from her aft Mainmast
revealing her many years of service
The wonderful and a successful career of the RMS Ormonde was sadly over for upon arrival it was announced that the 35 years old liner had been sold to the “British Iron & Steel Corporation” to be broken up.
It was on Thursday December 5,
1952 she headed to Dalmuir with W. H. Arnott, Young & Co in
charge, and demolition of the Ormonde was completed at Troon by
“West of Scotland Ship Breaking Co Ltd” on Tuesday May
5, 1953.
Go to Page
Two for a copy of an Original RMS
Ormonde Deck Plan
I watched them come, I watched them go and I watched them
die.”