Book REviEW
Unsung liner troopers
Review by E C Tupper
Great Liners at War Elizabeth, did not experience life as liners
by Stephen Harding, before embarking on their wartime careers.
published by Tempus Publishing The former acted as a hospital ship and
The Mill sank in 1916 after striking a mine laid by a
Brimscombe Port German submarine. Fortunately the latter
Stroud went on to become a very popular trans-
Gloucestershire Atlantic liner.
GL5 2 QG Whilst most readers will be aware of
Paperback, 2007, 320 pp. ISBN 978 the part played by liners whilst on military
0 7524 4231 0, £17.99. service, it is only when the information
is gathered together like this that the
true scale of their achievements becomes
apparent. There are some fascinating
stories to be told. Olympic took a damaged
battleship in tow briefly; it sank an enemy
submarine; after the war it was found to
have been damaged by an unexploded
torpedo. In WWII, Queen Mary became
the first ship to transport an entire US
military division in one crossing. On one
occasion it embarked 16,500 persons, a
and Spanish troops into action in the first record.
Spanish Civil War. However, it was in What are really interesting, however,
T
he author points out that most of 1851 with the outbreak of the Kaffir war in are not the ‘special’ events but the remark-
the ships regarded as Great Liners, South Africa that the use of steamers for able ‘routine’ achievements. The very
which he defines as ‘vessels whose trooping really came of age. Readers will short times in which conversions from
size, performance, beauty, and style set be well aware of the more recent example one role to another were achieved; the
them above lesser craft’, have had important of the use of the liners Queen Elizabeth 2 extent of the changes made; the use of
military roles. He feels that not enough and Canberra in the Falklands campaign. impounded enemy liners; the steady
has been written about this service – an Today even the wealthier nations cannot increases in numbers carried; the great
omission this book sets out to remedy. afford to maintain dedicated cargo and distances travelled – often in active war
The general scene is set in an introduc- troop transports, so they rely on the zones; the onboard arrangements for
tion and this is followed by 22 chapters, conversion to military use of cruiseships, sleeping and feeding troops; the problems
each dealing with an individual ship. At ro-ro ferries, and tankers. of providing fuel for coal burning vessels;
the end of each chapter is a summary of The first ship the book deals with in the great variety of service provided. The
the ship’s main features, the service it detail is Great Eastern, Brunel’s great ship. liners carried troops to war; repatriated
rendered, and how it was finally disposed It carried over 2600 troops and depend- them after the war; carried wounded
of. The book is very well illustrated with ants to Canada in 1861 for the protection home; carried prisoners of war across the
nearly 190 black and white photographs. of that country during the American Civil Atlantic; carried ‘war brides’ to the USA
Apparently the first recorded use of a War. Although successful, the ship was not and Canada; carried important political
passenger steamship as a trooper is when used again because of the changing politi- figures; acted as hospital ships; became
the British sidewheel steamer Enterprise cal situation. armed merchant ships.
transported Indian Army troops from Large liners came into their own during Although they were not Great Liners by
Calcutta to Rangoon in 1826 during the the two World Wars, carrying troops the author’s definition, it is a pity that no
first Burmese War. In 1833, a large scale around the world, acting as hospital ships mention is made of the use of converted
movement of troops, involving the British and armed merchant cruisers. Whilst liners to act as repair ships in the fleet trains
Peninsular & Orient Steam Navigation the ships proved vulnerable in the last of the Second World War. This, however, is
Co, occurred with the Queen of Portugal role, they nevertheless achieved some a minor criticism of a very informative and
moving Royalist troops during the notable successes. For instance, Carmania fascinating book. It will be read with great
Portuguese Civil War. Two years later, successfully beat another converted liner, interest by most naval architects and naval
ships of the same company carried British Cap Trafalgar. Two, Britannic and Queen historians. NA
The Naval Architect January 2008 91
NA Jan -
p91.indd 91 07/01/2008 12:29:51
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