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SS Ormiston

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SS Ormiston
SS Ormiston.jpg
SS Ormiston 1.jpg
History
Name SS Ormiston
Owner Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd., Govan
Builder A Stephens & Sons, Glasgow
Yard number 498
Launched 20 Oct 1922
Completed December 1922
In service 1923
Out of service 1957
Fate broken up for scrap
General characteristics
Type passenger steamer
Tonnage 5,832 tons
Length 390.8 ft (119.12m)
Beam 55.2 ft (16.83m)
Depth 28.1 ft (8.57m)
Propulsion single screw
Speed 13.5 knots (25 km/h)



Remarks

Originally built as the Famaka for the Khedivial Mail Steamship & Graving Dock Co. From 1927 she was chartered by the Australian United Steam Navigation Co Ltd of Melbourne (AUSN) and renamed Ormiston. Ownership changed in 1933 to Eastern Traders of Hong Kong and then to St Mary Axe Securities Ltd, but remained under charter to AUSN.


Purchased outright by AUSN in 1936. Pre WW2 it was used for the Melbourne - Cairns route in winter, and during summer months, Melbourne to Brisbane as a cruise ship. She was capable of carrying from 200- 235 passengers.


She was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine off Coffs harbour in 1943, but survived and was repaired to complete her war service. In 1946 she was handed back to her owners and in 1955 sold to a Greek shipping company and renamed Atlantic. Renamed again in 1956 to Atlanticos, she was sent to the breakers in November 1957.

Soldiers carried

Port Moresby to Brisbane 15 - 20 February 1944

Port Moresby to Bowen, Qld 7 - 10 April 1944

Port Moresby to Bowen 16 - 19 April 1944

Port Moresby - Townsville 6 - 8 Jun 1944

Cairns to Lae, New Guinea 11 - 14 October 1944

Sydney to Lae, New Guinea 16 - 24 April 1945

Brisbane to Jacquinot Bay, New Britain 14 - 20 July 1945

Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to Brisbane 20 - 26 July 1945

Brisbane to Lae, New Guinea 18 - 24 August 1945

Torokina, Bougainville to Brisbane 10 - 17 October 1945

Wewak - Finschhafen - Port Moresby - Brisbane 10 - 19 November 1945