HISTORY
MS Akaroa was originally
built in 1914 by Harland & Wolff of Belfast, the ship was known as the
Euripides when she sailed for the Aberdeen and Commonwealth Line. She
was 14,947 gross tons at the time and could make a top speed of 15
knots. Her shakedown cruise took place in June 1914, with her maiden
voyage from London to Brisbane leaving on 1 July 1914. Two days after
her arrival, she was taken over for Australian troop transport; the
following year she returned to the UK-Australia run but would continue
transporting Australian troops through 1919, when she was overhauled
at Belfast.
In 1929, the Euripides was transferred to the White Star Line, and in
1932 was again transferred, this time to the Shaw, Savill & Albion
Line. The company had her re-fitted to 15,128 gross tons, and renamed
the ship the Akaroa, sailing her from Southampton, England to
Wellington, New Zealand by way of the Panama Canal. On 1 September
1939,two days after the declaration of war, under Captain W H Hartman,
she set sail for Auckland, Arriving on the 8th of October. The voyage
was an epic one and the passengers presented the Captain with a silver
salver in memory of, "an epic and perilous voyage". Captain Hartmann
was awarded the OBE in 1943. In 1945 she was again re-fitted, and
continued the UK-NZ run. Finally, in May 1954, she was sent to the
breakers at Antwerp. |