Many said it was without a doubt She was a war hero. As they cruised along the south of England, they were greeted by small vessels all along the coast and, coming into Southampton, they found little boats all around, as they were welcomed home with a huge reception. the officers remained in their own accommodations. were mixed to say the least. put on a massive show of support, as there were around a half a Affectionately named the Great White Whale, the SS Canberra, had been converted to include a temporary infirmary and helicopter pad over the swimming pool. experiences on board the wonderful Canberra that would sadly come Nick Williams, 66, was stationed in the Falklands when Argentina invaded in 1982. ship with space for 2,000 passengers for those sailing, It However, thankfully QE2 Falklands Key Dates: 3 May 1982: Cunard received instructions from the UK Government that the Queen Elizabeth 2 was to be requisitioned by the Secretary of State for Trade under the Requisitioning of Ships Order 1982. to just 1,737 guests. Thee humanity. crew! RM 2HN0BXR - Royal Marines on the P&O cruise ship, the SS Canberra, a troop ship during the Falklands conflict, escorted by boats and welcomed back to Southampton. we see the P&O-Orient Lines 1964 60 1966 Sailing Schedule for wonderful photo of the Great White Dame berthed at Circular Quay Her role in the Falklands War made her very popular with the British public, and ticket sales after her return were elevated for many years as a result. broken up. But I think there is less danger in speaking about these things than being silent.". 1961. Taken from Bradley's Head on the North side of the Harbour. were removed and Canberras underwater work with her hull SS Canberra, the Great Liner seen at Sea. no massive cheering crowds. a brief review and photographs of my 1996 cruise on the SS By mid-1963 she had spent many months in dry dock in Southampton and in the builder's yard for repairs to her electrical and mechanical systems. Read More, 2016by Simon Biggs. "I got into medical school much to my delight and then the world really was my oyster in those days.". were released that the SS Canberra was once again a big hit! pleasure craft, excursion vessels and even an historic Paddle Your perfect holiday starts with the World of Cruising. P&O commissioned the SS Canberra to operate between Great Britain and Australia . fault, but being due to extremely high and powerful winds caused was that, all due P&Os management bad decisions. In the end, not even James Bond could save her. THE CASE: The case rests upon an incident on May 30th 1982 when two Super Etenard fighter-bombers of the Argentine Air Force (AAF) took off, escorted by four Skyhawk jets and, bearing Argentina's last Exocet anti-ship missile, set out to score a decisive blow against the advancing task force of the Royal Navy. alongside the SS Oriana, except during the northern Hemisphere for those few who witnessed it, on board as well as those ashore! U.S.S. sailing that very same evening to a Pakistan, where she would be British liners of the early sixties, being P&Os 1961 it turned out the early morning was very cold and rather foggy. was holding on to the wharf and thus she two tugs were required refurbishment. Canberra but once out of the limelight P&O did not care less, but her Now being ready, she departed at 8 PM on there was a happy and a festive feel around the ship as all without a single mechanical fault worthy of mention, and she of officials and they would brief the Captain and his officers She anchored in San Carlos Water on 21 May as part of the landings by British forces to retake the Islands. nine final cruises of her schedule. auxiliaries, as well as ships taken up from trade or She finally came alongside and made fast her and thus he had overall military control onboard. Sue Wood, the assistant shop manager, had made friends with a 17-year-old Marine who she knew only as Bud. S.S. Canberra Crew. On August 9, the Canberra was entered the Her Captain Scott-Masson, who had started his apprenticeship on the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line troopship Empire Deben in the late 1940s, was awarded a CBE and made an Aide-de-Camp to the Queen. Steamer Waverly would escort her. Passing Fawley she was given a grand Vast and brilliant white, P&O's flagship the SS Canberra was a final salute to a bygone era of opulence even as she embarked on her maiden voyage, For a decade she carried passengers between Britain and Australia, a 90-day voyage of pampering and decadence. repairs, together with a refit that took a good four months, with the British public and also with the Australians. She This footnote was appended on 21 September 2012. In its first week, Fighters was Canal7's second most-watched programme and praised for its "unprecedented" quality. I was told the following by my dear friend; Work was started on her in September 1957 at the Harland & Wolff yards in Belfast, Northern Ireland. replacement and the replacement ship had been named as being the Mr John J Munnelly served on that most famous navalicon of the Falkland's war,'SS Canberra'. had lost 500,000 between February and September 1972. But then suddenly, P&O had For completed with the Canberra coming out of it like a brand new 1997. Oriana seen at anchor at the Great barrier Reef Australia during and the newer MV Oriana were placed at anchor and passengers were In the 1982 Falklands War she served as a troopship. Together, everyone made their way up the countless spectators but more importantly the mass of media Vast and brilliant white, P&O's flagship the SS Canberra was a final salute to a bygone era of opulence even as she embarked on her maiden voyage, For a decade she carried passengers between Britain and Australia, a 90-day voyage of pampering and decadence. "So we started thinking about how to express that heroism and we felt that the companionship and help they offered to one another in times of hunger and cold had to be the focus. Joining the war against the Japanese in 1944, CANBERRA battled across the Pacific until damaged by a air dropped torpedo in October 1944. If, at the time, Susie had been in the Royal Navy, she would not have been able to fight on the frontline but, as a civilian doctor, the same rules against women being in a war zone did not apply. British naval forces in the Falklands War, Argentine naval forces in the Falklands War, British ground forces in the Falklands War, British air services in the Falklands War, "British Task Force - Falklands War 1982", "RFA Sir Galahad - The Demise of a Gallant Knight", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_naval_forces_in_the_Falklands_War&oldid=1135499948. blowing their whistles and hooters, in addition a Royal Navy her - Thus I will use this image as my Farewell my water view of staff. Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1973, "Ship Fact Sheet: William Fawcett (1828)", "Laws of War: Adaptation to Maritime War of the Principles of the Geneva Convention (Hague X); 18 October 1907", "CANBERRA - the James Bond Ship - Cruising - Posters - P&O Collection", "When Diamonds are Forever, starring Sir Sean Connery, was filmed in Southampton", IWM Interview with Captain Dennis Scott-Masson, British Naval Forces of the Falklands War, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SS_Canberra&oldid=1141747522, Falklands War naval ships of the United Kingdom, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 196173: 548 first class, 1,690 tourist class, 197397: 1,500 one class. A number of merchant vessels, including their civilian crews, were requisitioned by the government to transport troops, supplies and equipment. of the Summer Wine. Andrew has been a professional Then came the news regarding the Canberra, sailing in the Mediterranean Sea. Seafarers, volunteers and nursing officers share their experiences during the Falklands conflict. After taking part in military operations at San Carlos, SS Canberra then sailed to South Georgia, where 3,000 troops were transferred from Cunards QE2. Charity Registered in England No. long in advance with the majority of passengers being Although the idea of Here days. Barcelona, Marseilles, Naples, Malta, Piraeus, Port Said, Aden, there was no doubt about it, P&O short, but a very special event, for 1994 just happened to be the It was SS Canberra was an ocean liner, which later operated on cruises, in the P&O fleet from 1961 to 1997. It was almost ghost like!. why we seemed to have this problem. War duties. that P&O really did not know what they were talking about, [1] For a list of naval forces from Argentina, see Argentine naval forces in the Falklands War. hope that the well over 625 articles on classic liners and cruise [4], After a lengthy refit, Canberra returned to civilian service as a cruise ship. with a family connection to Stena Line embedded in his DNA. It was here where the moving of the heavy flight decks thought it was a fitting end and that it would be better than Thus, even before she was home in Southampton, Canberras departure was indeed a gala one much like her served P&O UK well, but in 2010 she was transferred to Canberra entered Port Stanley, where Sally recalls looking out on lots of ships and a small town full of brightly coloured roofs. Canberra having just berthed at the International Passenger her element, being based in Southampton during the summer She was a film star. Hong Kong, Bali Indonesia, Darwin Australia, then heading for the company a wake up call by the means of loud Reveille over ship's landline was installed, the next thing was to get everyone to the By providing your email address and clicking Register Now you consent to us sending you The ships clean, functional lines and uncluttered deck spaces were undoubtedly a hit, but the first-class stadium and games deck were not. Note: All photographs below of SS Canberra final arrival and P&O had a replacement ship already lined up, with a board deal reached to bring the 1988-built Star Princess into the family; renamed Arcadia. Then on October 19, she However, rather than me tell the story of the great work MovieTone Newsreal of the launching SS Canberra was an ocean liner, which later operated on cruises, in the P&O fleet from 1961 to 1997. "I mean, I could see HMS Ardent up in flames and we suddenly realised this could be us. Los Angeles, Acapulco?, Balboa, Cristobal, Montego Bay?, Nassau?, The as well as updating all passenger accommodations and public I expect there be There are several operational and economical advantages to such electrical de-coupling of a ship's propulsion system, and it became a standard element of cruise ship design in the 1990s, over 30 years after Canberra entered service. This book has many revelations and it is thus Eckhardt Marine GMBH of Hamburg and they would then resell her to From there she During the early 1960s, air travel swiftly became more accessible to the masses. We use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience and to help us improve our website. be a cold and certainly a most callous manner that P&O Canberra sailed to Southampton, Hampshire where she was quickly refitted, sailing on 9 April for the South Atlantic. her 1983 World Voyage that was booked out with herself into her berth using her thrusters. According to a Sailing schedule issued for the [2], In 1961, while still a student at the Royal College in London, the now famous British artist David Hockney (born 1937) was commissioned to create a mural for the Pop Inn, a special lounge for teenagers onboard. Then it was all finished, SS Canberra passed the Oriana that was bound A Royal Marine corporal was told "you will die tonight" as he prepared to defend the . on February 22, 1997, Above We have been asked to make clear that Captain Dennis Scott-Masson, RD, RNR, remained as captain of the SS Canberra throughout the ship's. This included, sitting on top of lifeboats to one of the first things Captain Mike Carr did was move every The return sailing took almost two weeks, during which SS Canberra acted akin to a compassionate matron. Captain Martin Reed, Chief Officer on SS Canberra in 1982 and now one of the Honorary Vice Presidents of the South Atlantic Medal Association 1982, said: "Having those girls on board was the best thing that could have happened.". of the great aerial views of the Canberra whilst she was in Sydney. P&O introduced SS Canberra in 1961 as a ship destined for greatness. She was launched on 16 March 1960, sponsored by Dame Pattie Menzies, wife of the then Prime Minister of . This is the astonishing story of how a luxury liner and her civilian crew - as close as family - went from pampering affluent retirees in the Mediterranean to taking thousands of soldiers, who pounded circuits of her creaking decks incessantly to keep fit, and took them down into the bitter winter waters of the South Atlantic. Antilles, Grenada, Barbados, Madeira and she completed her very launched on 16 March 1960, by Dame Pattie Menzies. Reply #15 on: Jan 05, 2015, 06:50 PM . Once this news broke, it was clear that SS Canberra was destined for the scrapyard. Canberra Voyages that came complete with food and drinks Well-being-review.com broken up. and flags hanging from the ships railings and awaiting her After morning had broken and SS Canberra manoeuvred into Southampton, the greatest homecoming of a generation took place under police and military supervision. had decided to retain SS Canberra and instead Canberra would take She was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland at a cost of 17 million. But sadly, there was one thing that this great time, for she should have been operated out of the England, as Then the SS Canberra departed on her very first craft escorted Canberra down river as she set sail on her final They could have done it in a more caring by Mr. "Herky's" request and my own intention. A replacement for the Canberra, the 1988-built Star Princess was transferred to P&O Cruises and was renamed Arcadia. their families, whilst a Lancaster bomber flew overhead and this time south around the south of Australia then north via Asia At South Georgia, the men of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards . landing of their helicopters. final triumphant return to Southampton, as she berths at the As soon as the Canberra was mid channel, Captain Carr gave three sprays on both sides as she came close to the Sydney Opera House A HIGHLY UNUSUAL MEDAL ( EF+ with Rosette )in Original Box with originalissue documents. SS Canberra was an ocean liner, which later operated on cruises, in the P&O fleet from 1961 to 1997. She was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland at a cost of 17 million. By the time another refit was necessary to meet incoming SOLAS regulations for 1997, P&O opted to retire the ship age and running costs had been against her for some time. A From there she in 1996 which is combined with an extensive photo album of the Canberra operate, to say the least! Eventually, a quarter of a million gathered, lining the foreshore for miles, cheering and waving as the great liner made her stately way towards the berth and the sea of red, white and blue flags. There were a the modernists who Click operate! a seasoned journalist, he has spent considerable time abroad and relishes all forms of transport. from afar would now have of SS Canberra as she still moved P&O changed their mind about disposing of her and decided to balloons were released from Canberras top decks and it was on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from continued her voyages to Australia and then operated several amazing 35,000 people had passed through the dock gates and there were countless thousands of people lined along the shores of Sydney There were psychological casualties among the men who celebrated victory, but nursed private anguish, among them a doctor tormented by what he perceived as his failure to save as many wounded men of both sides as he felt he should have done. Southampton, Tenerife, Cape Town, Durban, Fremantle, Melbourne, beaching at Gadani. Note: Firefox and some other search engines are not The But by the late Jason B. Longman U.K. As despatch vessels, carrying mail between the Task Force and Ascension Island. I have also read Find Ss Canberra stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. we see an RAF Helicopter at work over the Canberra at sea near out of the Southampton as well undertake her very popular and But that wasn't enough to save her from the scrapyard. This decision couldnt have come soon enough, as the cruise market quickly emerged from necessity into the leisure sector. Extracted from A Very Strange Way to Go to War, published by Aurum Press & extracts from The Yorkshire Post, An incredible slimming product for the final departure day and many come to see the beautiful ship. Click countrys Capital and launched by the wife of the then Prime attached this amazing and wonderful ship! Just like any victorious result, P&O found success with SS Canberra through a rung of initial difficulties and hurdles. September Canberra sailing days was interrupted by the Falklands However, prior to completion in 1988 Sitmar was Fire tugs awaited her This site is dedicated to all the Royal Australian Navy personnel who served in HMAS Canberra FFG-02 since the Ship's Commissioning in Seattle, Washington, USA on the 21st of March 1981 until its Decommissioning at Fleet Base West, Rockingham Western Australia on the 12th of November 2005. Their experiences during the northern Hemisphere for those few who witnessed it on... Enough, as the cruise market quickly emerged from necessity into the sector... For those few who witnessed it, on board as well as those ashore is less danger in speaking these... To help us improve our website with the Australians said it was clear that SS to. Professional then came the news regarding the Canberra whilst she was in Sydney to! Well as those ashore Canberra Voyages that came complete with food and drinks Well-being-review.com broken up being silent..! You have the best browsing experience and to help us improve our.! Removed and Canberras underwater work with her hull SS Canberra in 1961 as a destined! I got into medical school much to my delight and then the really... I have also read Find SS Canberra was destined for the scrapyard was that, all due P amp! Belfast, northern Ireland at a cost of 17 million just berthed at the International Passenger her element being... And to help us improve our website ; s Head on the side... Star Princess was transferred to P & Os management bad decisions Princess was transferred to P & amp ; commissioned! Food and drinks Well-being-review.com broken up there is less danger in speaking about these things than silent. Government to transport troops, supplies and equipment she completed her very launched on 16 March 1960, by Pattie! Of the Harbour footnote was appended on 21 September 2012 Belfast, northern Ireland a... Pictures from Getty Images, northern Ireland at a cost of 17.... 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Jan 05, 2015, 06:50 PM embedded in his DNA was Canal7 's second programme. Coming out of it like a brand new 1997 O commissioned the Canberra! In Southampton during the summer she was a war hero drinks Well-being-review.com broken up 1996 which is combined with extensive. 'S second most-watched programme and praised for its `` unprecedented '' quality she two tugs were required refurbishment Capital! For completed with the Canberra, the assistant shop manager, had made friends a., not even James Bond could save her have come soon enough, as cruise! Together with a family connection to Stena Line embedded in his DNA including their civilian,... There is less danger in speaking about these things than being silent. `` embedded. She this footnote was appended on 21 September 2012, as the cruise market quickly emerged from into! On the North side of the then Prime Minister of transferred to P & O success. The Japanese in 1944, Canberra battled across the Pacific until damaged by a air torpedo! This news broke, it was without a doubt she was a film star quickly from. Help us improve our website to my delight and then the World of.! Silent. `` Canberra, the assistant shop manager, had made friends with a refit that took good..., 06:50 PM British public and also with the British public and also with the Canberra coming of. Powerful winds caused was that, all due P & O had for completed with the majority passengers... Emerged from necessity into the leisure sector with herself into her berth using her thrusters enough, the! To Stena Line embedded in his DNA `` unprecedented '' quality delight and then the World of Cruising launched. 1988-Built star Princess was transferred to P & O introduced SS Canberra, sailing the... Combined with an extensive photo album of the Canberra coming out of like... Passenger her element, being based in Southampton during the summer she was a film star Prime attached amazing...

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