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February 17th 1936: Ordered.
April 23rd
1937: Launched by the King of the Belgians in a joint ceremony with the cargo liner MOANDA.
September 1937: During trials off West Hinder light ship attained speed of 25.5 knots
September 1937: Delivered to till Belgian Maritime Transport Authority, Oostende, Belgium.
October 4th 1937: Commenced service between Ostend - Dover.
May 18th 1940: When Germany invaded Belgium she left Ostend for Southampton via Le Havre carrying refugees.
May 28th 1940: Taken over by the British Ministry of War Transport.
June 1940: Operated as a troop-transport between England - Cherbourg - Brest - St. Malo.
Arne Pyson Collection
July 1940: Requisitioned for air target use.
1940: Rebuilt at Harland & Wolff, Southampton.
January 1941 - September 30th 1941: Rebuilt as a armed auxiliary transport at Penarth Pontoon Slipway & Ship repairing Co and renamed HMS PRINS ALBERT.
December 26th 1941: Took part in combined operations such as on the Lofoten Islands in Norway.
1942: Took part in the Canadian attack on Dieppe.
May 1943: Left for the Mediterranean Sea.
June 1943: Took part in the invasions of Italy and Sicily.
October 1943: Returned to England.
June 6th 1944: Took part in the Normandy landings (Omaha Beach).
August 15th 1944: Took part in the landings in Southern France.
October 1944 - December 1944: Commenced service, once more, as a troop-transport.
December 1944: Refitted in Greenock.
January 1945: Left England for India.
May 2nd 1945: Took part in the capture of Rangoon.
February 9th 1946: Left Bombay for England.
  23/02/1946 @ Malta, Roy Thornton Collection
April 26th 1946: Left England for Belgium.
May 1946 - June 27th 1947: Refitted and refurbished at Cockerill, Hoboken, Belgium.
May 28th 1947: Whilst being refitted suffered a fire.
 Roy Thornton Collection
June 28th 1947: Recommenced service between Ostend - Dover.
 June 1966 @ Dover , Roy Thornton Collection
August 1966: Laid up in reserve. However, continued to sail on most weekends in the summer season between Ostend - Folkestone and Dover.
Roy Thornton Collection
September 7th 1968: Made her last sailing and withdrawn.
1969: Laid up in Ostend as a “dead ship”.
May 25th 1970: Sold to Van Heyghen Freres, Belgium for scrapping.
June 21st 1970: Scrapping commenced.
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Technical Data
History
