July 9th 1928: Keel was struck. December 13th 1928: Launched. March 2nd 1929: Sea trials. March 15th 1929: Delivered to Southern Railway in Southampton. April 29th 1929: Arrived at Dover. May 15th 1929: Entered service between Dover - Calais. 1931 - 1932 (winter): Owing to mechanical problems she had an extensive refit. May 1932: Re-entered service. 1935: Present at King George V’s Jubilee Naval Review at Spithead. September 1939: Converted to a troop ship, painted grey overall and with one mast. May 10th - 12th 1940: Hook of Holland disembarking Guardsmen. May 21st 1940: Evacuated troops from Boulogne May 22nd : Evacuated troops from Calais
Roy Thornton Collection
May 25th 1940 - June 4th 1940: Made 5 trips to Dunkirk. Then employed as a “target ship” for the Fleet Air Arm. June 6th - 16th 1940: Made various voyage from Southampton to Le Havre, Cherbourg and Brest. After a final return to Plymouth rested in the River Dart. July 2nd 1941: Transferred to Larne- Stranraer. She also served as a target ship for the Fleet Air Arm/R.A.F. June 1942: Eight month conversion to a troop landing ship at Ardrossan. February 1943: Conversion completed. Summer 1942: Became part of “Force J” and Naval personnel were added to her Southern Railway crew.
Roy Thornton Collection
June 4th 1944: Embarked 420 troops of the 3rd Canadian Division at Southampton. After taking part in the Normandy invasion she ran for just over 1 year as a military leave ship between Calais and the Kent ports after which she went for refit at Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne. December 7th 1944: Operated as a trop ship between Dover - Ostend., December 23rd 1944: Conducted berthing trials in Calais. January 1st 1945: Calais re-opened as a personnel port May 12th 1945: Departed to Southampton for extensive refit. July 1945: Returned to service in Southern Railway colours.
Roy Thornton Collection
October 23rd - 27th 1945: The “Great Gale” trooping sailings cancelled. Three ships were in Calais one in Dover. October 24th 1945: Sailed “light” to Calais in Force 10 winds. October 27th 1945: First ship out of Folkestone. October 28th 1945: First ship out of Calais.
Roy Thornton Collection
December 31st 1945: Fog bound in Calais. February 1946: Refitted at Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne. April 15th 1946: Returned to the “Golden Arrow”.
 
Roy Thornton Collection
October 1946: Replaced by INVICTA she entered service between Folkestone - Calais where she remained. January 1947: Six-month spell at Dover.
 
Stéphane Poulain Collection
January 1st 1948: Registered to British Transport Commission, Southern Region.
© Ted Ingham
1948 (summer): Moved to Folkestone - Boulogne. Became the first cross-Channel steamer to be equipped with Radar.
  
Stéphane Poulain Collection
September 27th 1964: Made her final crossing.
 
Stéphane Poulain Collection
October 1964: Withdrawn and laid-up in Dover.
Roy Thornton Collection
1965: Sold to Belgian ship-breakers Scrappineco.
 
Roy Thornton Collection
July 30th 1965: Towed, by the Belgian tug BURGERMEESTER VANDAMME to Antwerp. She was stripped of her fittings and finally demolished by Brussels Shipbreaking Co at Willebroek.
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Technical Data
History
