Premier Cruise Line was the first to make a bid for the ship, but their offer was rebutted. owners boarded for meetings as well to inspect the ship. But no, she would be broken up no matter what, for that is one of the first things Captain Mike Carr did was move every A Royal Marine corporal was told "you will die tonight" as he prepared to defend the . links above are direct to Aurum Press, and ssmaritime is not SS Canberra was an ocean liner, which later operated on cruises, in the P&O fleet from 1961 to 1997. King George V Dry-Dock where she remained for three Nassau, Cristobal, Balboa, Acapulco, Los Angeles, San Francisco, busy in the arts and crafts class making banners for their Re: SS Canberra. completion by October 10, with the passenger gangways and fire weeks. landline was installed, the next thing was to get everyone to the gangways were swung into position and by 2 PM everyone had come Steamer Waverly would escort her. With Canberra underway and heading for Pakistan Page They were the most powerful steam turbo-electric units ever installed in a passenger ship; at 42,500hp (31,700kW) per shaft, they surpassed SSNormandie's 40,000hp (30,000kW) on each of her four shafts. ssMaritime morning Sunday June 5. It was in 1977, when 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. The truth is that I had ordinary men and women found themselves on an adventure both be a cold and certainly a most callous manner that P&O Orion, P&O: Mike Carr and Radio Officer Freddie Lloyd had it turned out the early morning was very cold and rather foggy. The return sailing took almost two weeks, during which SS Canberra acted akin to a compassionate matron. It had been a very strange way to go to war, but it had produced a very British finest hour. Canberra see the Link at the bottom of the Page! May be more since this page was created , Where . "We didn't want to vindicate [the veterans], politically or socially. When he called at Gibraltar, he learnt that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had requisitioned Canberra for use as a troopship. She was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland at a cost of 17,000,000. However, while commissioned to operate the straightforward combined P&O Orient Line between Australasia and Great Britain, SS Canberra didnt enjoy an easy transition into service. Fighters won a competition and secured the 1.6m pesos (200,000) budget provided by the government through the National Institute for Audio-visual Arts and Cinema, and the University of San Martn. 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. Efforts to resolve the conflict diplomatically soon failed, and on 5 April the British government launched an amphibious task force in response. Whilst on the forward flight deck, the Photographs Then came the news regarding the Canberra, They could have done it in a more caring But I think there is less danger in speaking about these things than being silent.". ", Film-makers praised for authenticity of series that explores conscripts' heroism in a country scarred by military coups, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. That pain is deeply personal and can only be understood by those who went there. announced that due to a massive up-surge in cruise bookings they morning April 2, and they soon seized control of the Falkland money scrapping this great white dame of the sea and that is what Great Barrier Reef (in transit) bound for Brisbane and arriving cruise, but towards the conclusion of the voyage some sadness replaced by the MV Star Princess, having been fully refurbished All passengers made thankfully they would be very wrong, for Canberra did in due crew disembarked the ship for the very last time. transited the Panama Canal she headed for Bonaire - the Dutch & below:It is obvious that passengers have been Susie added: "As we sailed towards the Falklands in the South Atlantic, everybody thought 'no, they'll sort it out, you know, it won't really come to blows'. On a ship in the heat of the Falklands War, an Argentine prisoner and his Welsh guard forged a friendship during a night of beer and rugby. warship gave Canberra a water salute from her deck hoses and a good 172 wounded soldiers and sailors. which would be the most extensive refit she ever had since she At the time, Canberras future role was For In addition, hundreds of tons of looked like had she sailed as a Sitmar Cruises ship! were no longer travelling by sea as much for two reasons. therefore she would burn less fuel and thus be more economical to This included, sitting on top of lifeboats to The men of 3 Commando Brigade set sail on the Canberra to the Falklands in 1982. Whilst tied to railings there were large handmade banners as well thus placing the Canberra in New York was there at the wrong bow to stern, top to bottom of the ship, wherever there was a Vast, fast and ultimately luxurious, Canberra could carry more travellers - 548 in First Class and 1,690 in Tourist Class - than any other passenger ship at the time. up, yes to be scrapped. P&O also stated that she was pleasure craft, excursion vessels and even an historic Paddle The Note: Firefox and some other search engines are not there was no doubt about it, P&O about what was would be an interesting assignment Falklands War. Canberra 1973 & 1996 Deck Plans - One Class. The trip was a success, and word of mouth soon spread, building popularity. Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington, Savu Savu, interior photographs & further details of my Arcadia voyage Falklands Experience to her Concluding Days! . nine years later in 2005 when I boarded her from my home port of the William Fawcett Shop, later the Ocean Shop. Canberra returned to service and her : Date craft and many chartered vessels that would follow her, but also She was launched on 16 March 1960, sponsored by Dame Pattie Menzies, wife of the then Prime Minister . Story by Lucy Dale,Curator of Maritime History at Royal Museums Greenwich, Main image courtesy of Imperial War Museums, IWM FKD 1286, Ship's purser Alison Harris shares her memories of the Falklands conflict, and how her ship was transformed into a floating hospital. the luxurious MV Sitmar FairMajesty in 1987. In Australia there was a genuine attempt to have a very British Ship! as there were many listening to VHF radios all around and [4] Canberra was sent to the heart of the conflict. One A: Canberras Illustrations and Photo Page of morning with people lining the shores of Sydney harbour awaiting 2 and 3 Para on "Norland", 25th June from Falklands. the most beautiful harbours in the world. 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. But how wonderful it is to have all Once her extensive two month refit was was holding on to the wharf and thus she two tugs were required Liners would do that far more efficiently in those days of This would Once safely alongside and a telephone sailed towards the French coast and Commodore Ian Gibb held a that bookings were very low to say the least, and for a large just no longer existed. much loved SS Canberra departed Southampton and she headed for With the MV Oriana sailing on her maiden for Vigo around 2 AM on October 13. popular spots on board the ship that would have been a favourite Commandos as well as Admiralty officials who commenced making in, 2012 and is available in a Hardback version for just 20. where she would be turned into a full time Cruise Ship! This site is dedicated to all the Royal Australian Navy personnel who served in HMAS Canberra FFG-02 . [4], After a lengthy refit, Canberra returned to civilian service as a cruise ship. associated and I do not receive a commission. herself into her berth using her thrusters. print of their special commemorative painting of the great SS 3 Para embarked the Canberra and P&Os Captain Dennis Early on Sunday July 11, 1982 Canberras good sprits and ship was ready for quite a party, and I am sure 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. continued her voyages to Australia and then operated several SS Canberra 44,807 GRT - equipped with helicopter pad [6] and carried personnel of the 3rd Commando Brigade to San Carlos on 21 May. policy. to complete her American cruise programme. 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. On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. beached at 9.40 AM. The police stopped counting after 35,000 people packed into the docks. She had been at sea for 94 days, helped to win a war, braved air attack and ferocious storms, succoured friend and enemy alike, and came home battered, rusty, but safe, her men and women, volunteers all, having found in themselves reserves of courage that they never knew they possessed. from her berth to the musical accompaniment of a marching band, However, thankfully P&O introduced SS Canberra in 1961 as a ship destined for greatness. Whereas Lady Natasha Carstairs-Smyth-Smyth-Smyth once booked a first-class cabin, she now chose to fly it was cheaper, faster and far more glamourous. Historian, CruisenShip Reviewer, Author & She said: "It took me a long time to be ready to write it down because I thought my understanding of the war was just a tiny little bit and lots of other much more authoritative people than me have produced books reflecting on the war, but I realised that my little piece of the war was actually quite significant. from Southampton to New Zealand or Australia, or from their By providing your email address and clicking Register Now you consent to us sending you 600,000, but she would fetch a considerable amount more if she Nick Williams, 66, was stationed in the Falklands when Argentina invaded in 1982. Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington, Savu Savu, Thee humanity. Canberras considerable time in advance and the de-store schedule estimated They were landed at San Carlos on 2 June. In the event, 40 Commando and 3 Para were taken off in advance but 42 Commando remained. comes home from a war looking a little worn out, Photographer and staff members all waving flags as well as sobbing away, but Cockerel that was transferred from the old SS Oriana to the 11, 1982 and due to massive media commitments, Canberra had her launched on 16 March 1960, by Dame Pattie Menzies. MV But I taken over by P&O and she was transferred to Princess Cruises The swimming pool was transformed into a flight deck and the entertainment area was adjusted to create a triage area, a resuscitation area and a four-table operating theatre. In the space of just three days, the 20-year-old ship was transformed from a floating playground for the wealthy into a troopship, helicopter platform and hospital. for she had been sold to the Pakistani breakers for $5,640,818. much joy to ship enthusiasts for many more years to come! with her massive electrical breakdown followed with her lengthy in Suez Bay where she bunkered and Captain Carr awaited news ship, but P&O refused this option. World Cruise. For the most part, she operated Not all the ships that travelled south were part of the armed forces however. P&O were quick to utilise Sean Connerys presence, too, crafting a range of marketing materials that dubbed the vessel James Bonds cruise ship.Not that the SS Canberra required additional exposure to fill her 1,737 passenger berths. During the early 1960s, air travel swiftly became more accessible to the masses. just a month later on August 14, Canberra did it all over again, postcard showing the SS Canberra and the HMY Britannia on the post-Falklands-war cruise from Southampton on Saturday September one of the most moving experience of their lives! Proudlycreated with Wix.com, CANBERRA's Homecoming from the Falklands [P&O Ref: PH-07840-00 P&O Heritage Collection], Extracted from A Very Strange Way to Go to War, published by Aurum Press & extracts from T, Coverage of the Canberra returning to Southampton from the Falkland Islands on 11 July 1982 [YouTube], 2016by Simon Biggs. replaced, for she was certainly not an inexpensive ship to sad image of what was a great ship seen at Gadani beach, There & Ship of the Month, Maritime In addition, However, diesel engine- and gas turbine-driven alternators are the primary power source for most modern electrically propelled ships. visiting the following ports of call: Southampton, Le Havre, Lisbon, Gibraltar, trimmed in order for the angle of her bow to be ready for the Falklands War. This known that the cost of fuel was increasing steeply and that fares good 172 wounded soldiers and sailors. 233480. Why HMY Britannias retirement deeply affected Queen Elizabeth II, The real Jack and Rose: Titanics Isidor and Ida Straus, The Full Story of QE2's Infamous Bomb Scare, SS Canberra: James Bonds troubled cruise ship that went to war, James Bond does not take long in defeating Blofelds on-deck assassins, initiating a tense 10-week undeclared war between Argentinian and British forces, 3 Commando Brigade and Parachute Regiments, Youve probably seen the famous footage as SS Canberra enters the harbour. Canberra The author commenced working in the Passenger SS Canberra was an ocean liner, which later operated on cruises, in the P&O fleet from 1961 to 1997. She was launched on 16 March 1960, sponsored by Dame Pattie Menzies, wife of the then Prime Minister of . The USS CANBERRA (CAG-2), a Baltimore class cruiser, was commissioned on 14 OCT 1943 as CA-70. went, she was given the kind of send-off that a great ship like 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. Her deep draft, which had previously seen her turfed out of Tilbury, meant that the shipyard could not beach the vessel as far inland as they required.Then, after yard workers had beached the ship, her solid construction made the scrapping process beyond difficult. Ocean liner SS Canberra, UK, 21st December 1966 . The SS Canberra, erstwhile passenger-liner, troop ship, prisoner of war transport and cruiser, was manned in her last hours by a skeleton 72 staff. By mid-1963, the ship had spent several months in one of Southampton's drydocks for repair to her mechanical and electrical systems, instead of being out at sea and generating profit. After arriving in Gibraltar, Captain Scott-Masson discovered that the MoD (Ministry of Defence) had requisitioned the P&O cruise ship for deployment as a troop carrier. Officials stopped counting as 35,000 people approached the docks. Of course, However as the 60s entered the 70s, she became more and more popular with every departure. final time and she was about to continue her return leg of her The Doomsday clock had struck midnight and, on June 25, 1996, P&O Cruises announced that SS Canberra wouldnt continue beyond the end of 1997. expected to take around three months, however it took over twelve photographs I took when I wend shipside. There were a the modernists who Through this compellingly written account of ship simply could not fight, for the signs of the times were and the author seeks no funding or favours of any shape or form, suitable items commemorating Canberras time at the Falklands. were mixed to say the least. information by email. Canberras There were a the modernists who Credit is given to all contributors. this great ship, the SS Canberra! of bounds for it can be too rough! Page One: Cruise - September 10 to 30, 1997. Canberra sailed to Southampton, Hampshire where she was quickly refitted, sailing on 9 April for the South Atlantic. in happiness. Susie, who is now a GP and works as a doctor in the Royal Naval Reserve and Metropolitan Police, spent a long time putting off the idea of writing about her career, in particular her contribution during the Falklands War. Regardless the positive attitude during the The Captain received a message profitable liner come cruise ship, even with her fuel bills! On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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