# Troopship "Corfu"



## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Has anyone got any info on the "Corfu"?

My Dad sailed on her when returning from Rangoon to Southampton in 1947 - he thinks she was originally a captured German vessel, refitted for troopship duties and was 16,000 tons.

Any info or steerage to photographs would be much appreciated.


Steve.
(Thumb)


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## fred henderson (Jun 13, 2005)

*Corfu*

Corfu was a P&O liner built by Alexander Stephens, Glasgow in 1931 for the London - Far East service. She was 14,293 grt, 17.5 kts, 178 First and 200 Second Class passengers, as built

Go to the Passenger Ship gallery, type Corfu in the search box and you will find three photographs.

Corfu and her sister Carthage were built with two funnels. After the war, both were extensively refitted, with increased accommodation and the second (dummy) funnel was removed.

Corfu was converted into a troopship in 1944 and returned to P&O in 1947. She was scrapped in 1961.

Fred(Thumb)


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Absolutely brilliant - many thanks. This site is in a league of it's own!!

Regards,

Steve.

(Thumb) (Applause)


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

*ss CORFU official number 162643*

More on ss CORFU here: http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=3608

and some more photos here: http://www.photoship.co.uk/Old Ships/

Regards (Thumb)


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello,
She sailed from Rangoon 2/3/1947
arrived Columbo 5/3 sailed 6/3
arr Suez 15/3 sl Port Said 16/3
arr Southampton 25/3
Her pre war certificate was for 382 passengers and 283 crew.
She was equipped to carry 2687 troops. No luxury cruise methinks!

Roger


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Please Find
Alot of info supplied by one of our Moderators Paul Strathdee
Launched 1931: ss CORFU 

ss CORFU 
ss CORFU
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
built by Alexander Stephen & Sons Glasgow,
Yard No 534 
Engines by Shipbuilders
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last Name: CORFU MARU (1961)
Port of Registry: London
Propulsion: Six Parsons steam turbines, 14000shp, single~reduction geared to twin screws, 18 knots.
Launched: Wednesday, 20 May 1931
Built: 1931
Ship Type: Passenger Liner
Ship's Role: London, Bombay and China service
Tonnage: 14293 gross; 7812 net; 8909 dwt
Length: 543ft 0in
Breadth: 71ft 5in
Draught: 29ft 9in
Owner History:
Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company London
Status: Scrapped - 17/10/1961

Remarks: 
25/06/1930: Ordered. 
09/09/1930: Keel laid. 
20/05/1931: Launched by Hon. Patricia Mackay, grand~daughter of P&O Chairman Lord Inchcape. A sister to the later CARTHAGE, it had been proposed to name her CHEFOO, but the name was changed in order to avoid confusion with existing vessels. 
24/09/1931: Ran trials, attended by Lord Inchcape in his steam yacht ROVER. 
26/09/1931: Delivered to The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. As built she could carry 177 First Class and 214 Second Class passengers. 
16/10/1931: Maiden voyage London/Southampton/Port Said/Aden/Bombay/ Colombo/Penang/Singapore/Hong Kong. 
20/05/1932: Return voyage UK/Australia. 
27/08/1939: Detained at Port Said without explanation. Heard of the declaration of war on arriving at Marseilles. 
08/09/1939: Arrived at Liverpool rather than London. 
14/09/1939: Requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an armed merchant cruiser. 
15/09/1939: Arrived at Belfast for conversion by Harland and Wolff Ltd.. Her after funnel was removed and eight 6~inch and two 12~pounder guns were fitted, but after “completion” of the conversion at Portsmouth she required further work on the Clyde. 
02/02/1940: Joined the Northern Patrol. Her service as an AMC was primarily in the North and South Atlantic where her turn of speed enabled her to overhaul any suspicious vessels with some ease; on one particular day no less than eleven suspect ships were detained and boarded. 
27/06/1940: Transferred to South Atlantic Command. 
10/07/1940: Struck in a rain squall at 3am by the aircraft carrier HMS HERMES when escorting a convoy leaving Freetown, resulting in a 30 foot long hole in her starboard bow. Escorted by the cruiser HMS DEVONSHIRE, she was towed stern~first back into Freetown for emergency repairs. Part of her armament was temporarily landed for coastal defence use. 
17/01/1941: Left Freetown via Lagos, Simonstown, Durban, Mombasa, Colombo and Trincomalee to Calcutta for permanent repairs. 
07/05/1941: Arrived at Calcutta. 
08/09/1941: Repairs completed. Convoy and escort duty in the Indian Ocean. 
17/10/1942: Arrived at Southampton for six~month re~armament there and on the Clyde. Nine new 6~inch guns and other refinements including a catapult and three Kingfisher reconnaissance seaplanes. 
08/07/1943: Laid up at Freetown. 
11/1943: Repairs at Durban. 
17/02/1944: Returned to her owners for service as a troopship. 
16/03/1944: Arrived at Mobile, Alabama for year~long conversion by Alabama Dry~dock Company, after which made one eastbound Atlantic crossing before sailing for Bombay. 
05/09/1945: Entered Singapore in first convoy with troops sent to re~occupy the city. 
09/04/1946: 450 troops embarked for service in India walked off the ship complaining of conditions on board. 100 returned aboard, most of the remainder were shipped in another troopship, but 34 were courtmartialled. 
31/07/1947: Released to her owners to be reconditioned by her builders. As an armed merchant cruiser she had sailed about 200,000 miles. As a troopship she had sailed 39,161 miles and carried 15,028 troops. 
22/01/1949: Re~entered commercial service now with only one funnel and white livery. Capacity 181 First Class, 213 Tourist Class. 
05/1960: Management transferred to P&O~Orient Management Ltd, operation to P&O~Orient Lines. 
24/03/1961: Sold through Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, Japan for demolition. 
20/04/1961: Handed over in London. Renamed CORFU MARU for a cargo~only voyage to Japan and subsequently reported laid up at Osaka. 
17/10/1961: Demolition at Osaka commenced by Miyachi Salvage Co. Ltd.


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

*Many Thanks.....*

Thanks very much for all the previous info - Dad was astonished as to how quick I could get back to him with the photos and gen.

Cheers All,

Steve.

(Thumb) (Applause)


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## Jim MacIntyre (Mar 11, 2006)

Was the Corfu ever used for school charters (like the Nevasa) during her career ???
Jim Mac


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## tridentport (Aug 8, 2007)

Can confirm Corfu arrived Belfast 15-09-1939 from Liverpool. She left Belfast 14.12.1939 for sea.


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## Boseley (Aug 16, 2008)

I sailed on the Corfu 1960 1961


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## David Williams (Sep 27, 2008)

Moulder said:


> Has anyone got any info on the "Corfu"?
> 
> My Dad sailed on her when returning from Rangoon to Southampton in 1947 - he thinks she was originally a captured German vessel, refitted for troopship duties and was 16,000 tons.
> 
> ...


Hi Moulder.
Only just read your enquiry about the CORFU,I dont know
if this will still be of any use to you,but if you click onto
SS STEAMSHIPS you will find nine photo's of the Corfu,seven
of one ship and two of another,I think that you must be interested
in the seven photo's.

Dave Williams(R583900)


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## Rosiegirl52 (Aug 30, 2013)

*where did you get this info please?*



Roger Griffiths said:


> Hello,
> She sailed from Rangoon 2/3/1947
> arrived Columbo 5/3 sailed 6/3
> arr Suez 15/3 sl Port Said 16/3
> ...


My Mam and Dad was on this ship on this voyage...my poor darling Mam was seasick for the whole voyage.
I wish there was some kind of name register to show they were on board?
But I am most grateful for this information.
Thank You Kindly,
Rosemary


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## Rosiegirl52 (Aug 30, 2013)

fred henderson said:


> *Corfu*
> 
> Corfu was a P&O liner built by Alexander Stephens, Glasgow in 1931 for the London - Far East service. She was 14,293 grt, 17.5 kts, 178 First and 200 Second Class passengers, as built
> 
> ...


Thank you my Mam and Dad travelled over from Rangoon Burma as newlyweds back in March 1947 to Southampton . I always remember my Mam saying how she was sick and in her cabin all the Voyage


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## Rosiegirl52 (Aug 30, 2013)

Boseley said:


> I sailed on the Corfu 1960 1961


How was she ?


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## backsplice (May 23, 2005)

Here,




























s a couple of shots of the CORFU


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