SS Otranto
From Our Contribution
Remarks
Soon after entering service, in 1926 Otranto was damaged when she struck a rock at Cape Grosso, Greece during a heavy rainstorm. In August 1928 Otranto collided with the Japanese steamer Kitano Maru, heavily damaging her. On 4 Aug 1932 she collided with the Thames barge Why Not in the Thames Estuary at Thameshaven, Essex, England; Why Not sank.
When World War II broke out in 1939 the Admiralty requisitioned Otranto and had her converted into a troop ship. She was modified in 1942 to carry landing craft as a (LSI) Landing ship, infantry, taking part in the invasion of French North Africa in late 1942, and the landings in Sicily and Salerno in 1943. She was subsequently reconverted back into a troop transport and served as such until released from government service in 1948.
Otranto then resumed her pre-war role as a passenger liner, now refitted to carry 1,412 tourist-class passengers. In February 1957 she made her final voyage, from the UK to Australia. She was sold for scrap in June.