Roy Thornton Collection Steel twin screw motor vessel, built and engined by Cockerill ’s of Hoboken (Yard No. 651) in 1937 for the Belgian Marine Administration’s Ostend service. Launched April 23rd 1937.
 Technical Data
Registry - Ostend Official Number - 72004 Length on deck 113.60m (370.7ft)(overall) 108.81m (357 ft) (between perpendiculars) Breadth of hull - 14.95m (45.9 ft)(extreme) Depth - 6.52m (21.4. ft) (to shelter deck), 7.59m (24.9 ft)(moulded) Draught - 3.81m (12.75 ft)(moulded) Tonnage - 2,938 gross 1,884 net Engines - Two 12-cylinder Cockerill/Sulzer single acting two-stroke diesels Power - 8,500 hp Speed - 25 knots Capacity - 1,829 passengers Call Sign - ORAI
History February 17th 1936: Ordered. April 23rd 1937: Launched by the King of the Belgians in a joint ceremony with the cargo liner MOANDA. September 1937: During trials off West Hinder light ship attained speed of 25.5 knots September 1937: Delivered to till Belgian Maritime Transport Authority, Oostende, Belgium. October 4th 1937: Commenced service between Ostend - Dover. May 18th 1940: When Germany invaded Belgium she left Ostend for Southampton via Le Havre carrying refugees. May 28th 1940: Taken over by the British Ministry of War Transport. June 1940: Operated as a troop-transport between England - Cherbourg - Brest - St. Malo.
 Arne Pyson Collection
July 1940: Requisitioned for air target use. 1940: Rebuilt at Harland & Wolff, Southampton. January 1941 - September 30th 1941: Rebuilt as a armed auxiliary transport at Penarth Pontoon Slipway & Ship repairing Co and renamed HMS PRINS ALBERT. December 26th 1941: Took part in combined operations such as on the Lofoten Islands in Norway. 1942: Took part in the Canadian attack on Dieppe. May 1943: Left for the Mediterranean Sea. June 1943: Took part in the invasions of Italy and Sicily. October 1943: Returned to England. June 6th 1944: Took part in the Normandy landings (Omaha Beach). August 15th 1944: Took part in the landings in Southern France. October 1944 - December 1944: Commenced service, once more, as a troop-transport. December 1944: Refitted in Greenock. January 1945: Left England for India. May 2nd 1945: Took part in the capture of Rangoon. February 9th 1946: Left Bombay for England.
  23/02/1946 @ Malta, Roy Thornton Collection
April 26th 1946: Left England for Belgium. May 1946 - June 27th 1947: Refitted and refurbished at Cockerill, Hoboken, Belgium. May 28th 1947: Whilst being refitted suffered a fire.
 Roy Thornton Collection
June 28th 1947: Recommenced service between Ostend - Dover.
 June 1966 @ Dover , Roy Thornton Collection
August 1966: Laid up in reserve. However, continued to sail on most weekends in the summer season between Ostend - Folkestone and Dover.
 Roy Thornton Collection
September 7th 1968: Made her last sailing and withdrawn. 1969: Laid up in Ostend as a “dead ship”. May 25th 1970: Sold to Van Heyghen Freres, Belgium for scrapping. June 21st 1970: Scrapping commenced.
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