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Dilwara was built by Barclay Curle & Company, Glasgow. She
was launched 17th October 1935 and was finished being built in
1936. He was 11,050 gross tonnes and was to be used as a troopship.
She was owned by the British India Steam Navigation Company from
1936-1960. She was Launched by Lady Currie, wife of Sir William
Currie, Managing Director of BI (and of P&O). She was delivered
to the British India Steam Navigation Company Ltd, London, on
15th January 1936. She was the first purpose built British troopship
since 1867, and was chartered to the Government together with
her three nearsisters, DEVONSHIRE (Bibby Line, Fairfield, 1939),
DUNERA (BI, Barclay Curle, 1937) and ETTRICK (P&O, Barclay
Curle, 1939). As built she could accommodate 104 First Class passengers,
100 Second Class, 164 troops' families and 1,154 troops. She cost
£403,700 and spent part of her first summer operating school
cruises. In 1939, when
war broke out, she was in the Indian Ocean homeward bound. On
16th September 1939 she collided with the Blue Funnel Line STENTOR
and untertook repairs at Gibraltar until 20th November 1939. During
1940-194141 she was used as a troopship from South Africa to Egypt
and took part in the evacuation of Greece. Then in 1942 she and
DUNERA were present at the Madagascar landings. In 1943 she took
part in the Sicilian campaign. In 1945 she was involved in the
liberation of Burma but on the 8th June 1945 she was mined off
Rangoon but reached port with only minor damages. She was the
HQ ship during surrender operations at Singapore. in 1949 she
was refitted by her builders with a lower troop capacity and with
bunks instead of hammocks and re-emetered service in October 1950.
Most of her employment was now between the UK and the Far East,
including service in the Korean War. Capacity now 125 First Class,
96 Second Class, 104 Third Class and 790 troops. in 1953 she was
at the Coronation Review at Spithead and in November 1956 she
was employed during Suez Campaign. Her trooping contract terminated
in 1960 and on 11th November 1960 she was sthe old to China Navigation
Co Ltd (John Swire & Co), renamed KUALA LUMPUR, and put into
service as a pilgrim carrier (243 First Class passengers and 1669
pilgrims). in 1962 she began off-season cruising from Australia
and New Zealand taking school parties in former pilgrim/troop
quarters until November 1971 when she was sold to be broken up
by Tung Cheng Steel Co Ltd, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. |
