RMS Andes

RMS Andes

Harland and Wolff photo
History
Name	RMS Andes
Owner	Royal Mail Lines
Builder	harland & Wolff, Belfast
Yard number	1005
Launched	7 Mar 1939
Completed	24 Sep 1939
In service	26 Sep 1939
Out of service	4 May 1971
Fate	scrapped Belgium
General characteristics
Type	Ocean ship
Tonnage	25,688 tons
Length	643.3 ft (196.1 m)
Beam	83.5 ft (25.5 m)
Depth	43.6 ft (13.3 m)
Propulsion	twin screw
Speed	21 knots (39 kmh)
Capacity	4,000 troops plus crew

Remarks

Built for mail, passenger and refrigerated cargo service from Southampton to Brazil and River Plate but was used as troopship in World War II immediately on completion. Andes was converted back into a civilian liner in 1947. She entered civilian service in 1948 on RMSP's premier liner route between Southampton, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. For seven years she worked the route full-time, but from 1955 the frequency of her liner voyages decreased and she spent an increasing proportion of her time cruising. In 1959–60 she was converted at Flushing, Netherlands into a full-time cruise ship, based at Southampton.

Sold for breaking up at Ghent, Belgium, for £325,000; handed over 7 May 1971.

Armament, As troop ship:

• 1 × 6-inch (150 mm) gun
• 1 × 4.5-inch (110 mm) gun
• 2 × QF 12 pounder guns
• 4 × twin Bofors 40 mm guns
• 14 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon depth charges
• 1 × unrotated projectile AA weapon

Sailors carried

Fremantle to England Mar - May 1942

• Ian Stuart MacLean