CASTILIAN PRINCE (4)
was built in 1923 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at Haverton
Hill with a tonnage of 3908grt, a length of 364ft, a beam
of 52ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. She was completed
as the Sycamore for the Johnston Line Ltd in November 1923
and transferred to Prince Line Ltd as the Castilian Prince
in 1926. She was sold to Sovtorgflot of Odessa in 1932 and
renamed Enukidze. Thereafter she was renamed G. Yagoda in
1935, Michurin in 1937and Voroshilov in 1946 before reverting
to Michurin in the same year. She was withdrawn from service
in 1965 and subsequently deleted from Lloyds Register.
BRAZILIAN
PRINCE (1) was built in 1924 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at
Haverton Hill with a tonnage of 3907grt, a length of 364ft,
a beam of 52ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Sister
of the Castilian Prince she was completed as the Tramore for
the Johnston Line Ltd. in August 1924 before being transferred
to Prince Line Ltd as the Brazilian Prince. In 1933 she was
sold to Sovtorgflot of Odessa, together with her sister, and
renamed Voroshilov. On 14th February 1943 she was damaged
by a mine off Tuapse. In 1950 she was re-engined with two
M. A. N. diesels which had been built at Augsburg in 1944
but never used. She was renamed Ilichevsk, also spelt Ilyichovsk,
in 1962 and was last recorded in Lloyds Register in 1975.(Photo:
World Ship Society)
EASTERN PRINCE (3) was
built in 1915 by J.C. Tecklenborg A. G. at Geestemunde with
a tonnage of 7596grt, a length of 468ft 6in, a beam of 58ft
6in and a service speed of 12 knots. She was launched as the
Altenfels for Deutsch Dampschiff Ges. 'Hansa' of Bremen but
when completed in 1917 was immediately laid up. In 1920 she
ceded to the British Shipping Controller and was placed under
the management of Henderson Bros. She was acquired by Prince
Line Ltd in 1921 and renamed Eastern Prince. After five years
she was bought back by 'Hansa' who changed her name to Stolzenfels.
In September 1939 she was requisitioned by the German Navy,
renamed Sperrbrecker XII and on 5th May 1941 sank after hitting
a mine off Schiermonnikoog in the Frisian Islands.
IMPERIAL
PRINCE (2) was built in 1922 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at
Haverton-on-Tees with a tonnage of 7896grt, a length of 450ft
6in, a beam of 58ft and a service speed of 14.5 knots. One
of three ships built for Furness, Withy & Co she was completed
as the Feliciana in May 1922. Ahead of their time and creating
much interest in maritime circles they were built for the
London - New York route but diminishing demand and US subsidies
made the service unprofitable. In 1922 she was transferred
to Gulf Line Ltd as the London Mariner and in 1928 to Prince
Line Ltd. who renamed her Imperial Prince. When the shipping
industry slumped in 1930 she was laid up in the River Blackwater
off Tollesbury where she remained for 4 years. In May 1935
she was sold to Thos. & Jas. Harrison of Liverpool for
a joint service to South Africa with Clan Line and Ellerman's
and renamed Craftsman. On 9th April 1941 she was captured
by the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran and sunk 300 miles
east of St. Pauls Rocks in the South Atlantic with loss of
5 lives by gunfire and 41 crewmembers were taken prisoner.
She was one of 11 ships taken by Raider G, Schiff 42, ex HAPAG's
Steiermark. (Photo: RJ Scott)
ROYAL PRINCE (3) was
built in 1923 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at Haverton-on-Tees
with a tonnage of 7886grt, a length of 450ft 6in, a beam of
58ft and a service speed of 14.5 knots. Sister of the Imperial
Prince she was completed as the London Commerce for Furness,
Withy & Co. In 1928 she was overhauled at Cobh, transferred
to Prince Line and renamed Royal Prince. She was laid up in
the River Blackwater at Tollesbury in 1931 and remained there
until May 1935 when she was sold with her sisters to T &
J Harrison who renamed her Collegian. In September 1940 she
was attacked by gunfire from U-32 when 320 miles west of Malin
Head but managed to escape. After 12 years service with Harrison's
she was broken up by BISCO at Milford Haven in 1947.
BRITISH PRINCE (3) was
built in 1923 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at Haverton-on-Tees
with a tonnage of 7939grt, a length of 450ft 6in, a beam of
58ft and a service speed of 14.5 knots. Sister of the Imperial
Prince she was completed in August 1923 as the London Shipper
for Furness, Withy & Co. but transferred to the Norfolk
& North American Steamship Co. She was transferred to
Prince Line as the British Prince in 1928 and in 1930 was
laid up in the River Blackwater alongside her sisters. In
May 1935 she was sold to T & J Harrison's and renamed
Statesman. On 17th May 1941 she was sunk by a aerial torpedo
dropped by a Focke-Wulf Condor 200 miles west of Inishtrahull
in Ireland with the loss on one life.
NORTHERN PRINCE was built
in 1929 by Lithgows Ltd. at Port Glasgow with a tonnage of
10917grt, a length of 514ft, a beam of 64ft 11in and a service
speed of 16.5 knots. Launched on 27th November 1928 she was
the first of four sisters and commenced her maiden voyage
from the UK to New York with calls at Buenos Aires and Rosario
in the following April. On 15th May she began operating on
the New York - River Plate service. In 1938 the company's
competitor on that route, the Munson Line, went into liquidation
leaving Prince Line as the sole operator but the service was
discontinued when the Second World War broke out. On 3rd April
1941 she was bombed and sunk by German aircraft in the Kithera
Strait, off Crete whilst sailing in convoy to bring re-enforcements
to the island during the Greek campaign.
EASTERN
PRINCE (4) was built in 1929 by Napier & Miller Ltd. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 10926grt, a length of 514ft, a beam
of 64ft 11in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. Sister of
the Northern Prince she was launched on 29th January 1929
and delivered in the following June. In 1932 she rescued the
crew of D. Falangas's Artemis which had run aground off Bahia.
During 1940 she made seven round trips between the UK and
Canada with children and civilian personnel before being converted
into a troopship at Liverpool on 20th-21st December. During
conversion she was damaged by German bombers but was commissioned
for 1200 men in the following June. In 1943 she was refitted
at Baltimore when US standee bunks were installed and her
capacity increased to 2150 men. She was used as an accommodation
ship during the Yalta Conference in 1945 and on 30th March
1946 was acquired by the Ministry of Transport for use as
a troopship. Renamed Empire Medway in 1950, with Prince Line
as managers she was given a white hull with blue band and
yellow funnel and deployed between Southampton - Gibraltar
- Trieste or Cyprus - Port Said and Lebanon. In November 1952
she arrived at Faslane where she was broken up during 1953.
(Photo: A Duncan)
SOUTHERN
PRINCE (1) was built in 1929 by Lithgows Ltd. at Port Glasgow
with a tonnage of 10917grt, a length of 514ft, a beam of 64ft
11in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. Sister of the Northern
Prince she was launched on 12th March 1929, underwent trial
during the following June and entered service in the August.
In 1940 she was converted into a minesweeper and joined the
1st Minelaying Squadron together with Blue Funnel's Agamemnon
and Prometheus, and Port Line's Port Napier and Port Quebec.
Between them they laid a mine barrage across the Northern
Approaches. During the Normandt D-Day landings she was the
headquarters ship of Rear-Admiral Rivett-Carnet as part of
Operation Neptune, the Naval part of the overall operation.
She left the Solent in convoy EWP 1 on 7th June 1944 and anchored
off Juno beach on the following day. The final days of the
war saw her in the Pacific as a fleet training ship. In 1947
she was sold to G. Costa fu Andrea of Genoa who refitted and
modernised her as the Anna C for their Genoa - South America
service. Re-engined with a Fiat diesel in 1952 to increase
her speed to 20.5 knots she was refitted again in 1960 in
order to accommodate 202 1st Class and 864 Tourist Class passengers
on the Central America service. After a further 12 years and
a total of 42 years service she was broken up at La Spezia
in 1972. (Photo: E Johnson)
WESTERN
PRINCE (1) was built in 1929 by Napier & Miller Ltd. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 10926grt, a length of 514ft, a beam
of 64ft 11in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. Sister of
the Northern Prince she was launched on 20th June 1929 and
delivered in the following October. On 12th December 1940
she sailed from New York bound for Liverpool and on 16th was
torpedoed by U-96 400 miles west of the Orkney Islands with
the loss of 16 lives. 154 persons were rescued. (Photo: A
Duncan)
SIAMESE
PRINCE (2) was built in 1929 by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co.
at Glasgow with a tonnage of 6607grt, a length of 441ft 6in,
a beam of 60ft 4in and a service speed of 14.5 knots. Completed
in September 1929 she was one of seven ships, six of which
were built for the Rio Cape Line. On 17th February 1941, during
a voyage from Halifax to Liverpool, she was torpedoed by U-69
in the North Atlantic. (Photo: A Duncan)
RHODESIAN
PRINCE was built in 1935 by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 4684grt, a length of 407ft, a beam
of 55ft and a service speed of 10.5 knots. She was completed
in August 1935 as the Argentine Transport for the Empire Transport
Co. but transferred to Prince Line Ltd with the Renfrew Navigation
Co. as managers and renamed Rhodesian Prince. In 1937 she
was transferred to Furness Withy's Houlder Line for their
South American trade as the Owestry Grange, carrying general
cargo outward and grain on the return. On 12th February 1941
whilst in convoy SLS 64 sailing from Rosario to Liverpool
via Freetown she was caught and sunk by the German cruiser
Admiral Hipper in the North Atlantic (37. 10N 21. 20W) with
the loss of 5 lives. The Admiral Hipper had left Brest on
1st February and returned on 14th to refuel after sinking
seven ships. (Photo: A Duncan)
ARABIAN PRINCE (3) was
built in 1936 by William Hamilton & Co. at Glasgow with
a tonnage of 1999grt, a length of 296ft 4in, a beam of 44ft
2in and a service speed of 10 knots. She was the first of
four ships built to trade to the Mediterranean. After an uneventful
career and surviving World War Two she was broken up by Hollands
Scheeps Veersdijk, Hendrik ido Ambacht during April 1959.
PALESTINIAN
PRINCE was built in 1936 by William Hamilton & Co. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 1965grt, a length of 296ft 4in,
a beam of 44ft 2in and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister
of the Arabian Prince she entered service in December 1936.
In December 1959 she was sold to Cia Maritima Med. of Beirut
and renamed Happy Med. Six years later she was renamed Mimi
by the Emmameth Corp of Panama and in July 1970 she was broken
up at Split. (Photo: RJ Scott)
SYRIAN PRINCE (3) was
built in 1936 by William Hamilton & Co. at Glasgow with
a tonnage of 1988grt, a length of 296ft 4in, a beam of 44ft
2in and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister of the Arabian
Prince and built for the Mediterranean trade she was delivered
in December 1936. After twenty three years service with Prince
Line and surviving WW2 she was, on 9th May 1959, sold to P.
Th. Petropoulos, Cia. Maritima Med. of Beirut and renamed
Sunny Med. In 1964 she was acquired by Glyfada Seafaring Corp.
S. A. of Piraeus and renamed Dinos. On 25th October 1969 she
arrived at Savona where she was broken up.
CYPRIAN PRINCE (3) was
built in 1936 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at Haverton Hill
with a tonnage of 1988grt, a length of 296ft 4in, a beam of
44ft 2in and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister of the Arabian
Prince she entered the Mediterranean service in January 1937.
In early 1940 she was being escorted by HMS Exmouth when,
on 21st January, the latter was torpedoed and sunk by U-22
with heavy loss of life. On 6th April 1941 she was one of
four ships sunk by parachute mines dropped by German aircraft
at Piraeus during the Allied campaign in Greece.
An Archaeological Expedition has been set up to locate and
identify the present site of HMS Exmouth. For more details
about the sinking and for information about the expedition
visit www.HMSExmouth.com
AFRICAN
PRINCE (3) was built in 1939 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at
Haverton Hill with a tonnage of 4653grt, a length of 437ft
5in, a beam of 42ft 10in and a service speed of 12 knots.
Completed in September 1939 she briefly served with Prince
Line before being requisitioned for duties with the Ministry
of War Transport. In 1961 she was sold to Mullion & Co.
of Hong Kong who changed her name to Ardmore. Four years later
she was sold for £200,000 to the Craft Shipping Co.
of Gibraltar, a subsidiary of Mullion & Co., and renamed
Kali Elpis. The Mullion fleet was transferred to Gibraltar
when the Viet Nam conflict broke out. She was broken up by
the Steel Corporation of India at Bombay in May 1969. (Photo:
A Duncan)
NORMAN PRINCE (4) was
built in 1940 by Smith's Dockyard Co. at Middlesbrough with
a tonnage of 1913grt, a length of 315ft, a beam of 44ft 2in
and a service speed of 11 knots. One of four ships she was
completed in April 1940 but had a short lived career which
ended on 29th May 1942 when she was torpedoed by U-156 west
of Martinique during a voyage from Barranquia to St. Lucia
in ballast.
LANCASTRIAN PRINCE (4)
was built in 1940 by Smith's Dockyard Co. at Middlesbrough
with a tonnage of 1914grt, a length of 315ft, a beam of 44ft
2in and a service speed of 11 knots. Sister of the Norman
Prince she was delivered in May 1940. On 12th April 1943 she
was torpedoed by U-404 off Newfoundland during a voyage from
Manchester to Boston.
.JPG)
BRAZILIAN
PRINCE (1) was built in 1924 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at
Haverton Hill with a tonnage of 3907grt, a length of 364ft,
a beam of 52ft 2in and a service speed of 12 knots. Sister
of the Castilian Prince she was completed as the Tramore for
the Johnston Line Ltd. in August 1924 before being transferred
to Prince Line Ltd as the Brazilian Prince. In 1933 she was
sold to Sovtorgflot of Odessa, together with her sister, and
renamed Voroshilov. On 14th February 1943 she was damaged
by a mine off Tuapse. In 1950 she was re-engined with two
M. A. N. diesels which had been built at Augsburg in 1944
but never used. She was renamed Ilichevsk, also spelt Ilyichovsk,
in 1962 and was last recorded in Lloyds Register in 1975.(Photo:
World Ship Society) 
IMPERIAL
PRINCE (2) was built in 1922 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at
Haverton-on-Tees with a tonnage of 7896grt, a length of 450ft
6in, a beam of 58ft and a service speed of 14.5 knots. One
of three ships built for Furness, Withy & Co she was completed
as the Feliciana in May 1922. Ahead of their time and creating
much interest in maritime circles they were built for the
London - New York route but diminishing demand and US subsidies
made the service unprofitable. In 1922 she was transferred
to Gulf Line Ltd as the London Mariner and in 1928 to Prince
Line Ltd. who renamed her Imperial Prince. When the shipping
industry slumped in 1930 she was laid up in the River Blackwater
off Tollesbury where she remained for 4 years. In May 1935
she was sold to Thos. & Jas. Harrison of Liverpool for
a joint service to South Africa with Clan Line and Ellerman's
and renamed Craftsman. On 9th April 1941 she was captured
by the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran and sunk 300 miles
east of St. Pauls Rocks in the South Atlantic with loss of
5 lives by gunfire and 41 crewmembers were taken prisoner.
She was one of 11 ships taken by Raider G, Schiff 42, ex 
EASTERN
PRINCE (4) was built in 1929 by Napier & Miller Ltd. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 10926grt, a length of 514ft, a beam
of 64ft 11in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. Sister of
the Northern Prince she was launched on 29th January 1929
and delivered in the following June. In 1932 she rescued the
crew of D. Falangas's Artemis which had run aground off Bahia.
During 1940 she made seven round trips between the UK and
Canada with children and civilian personnel before being converted
into a troopship at Liverpool on 20th-21st December. During
conversion she was damaged by German bombers but was commissioned
for 1200 men in the following June. In 1943 she was refitted
at Baltimore when US standee bunks were installed and her
capacity increased to 2150 men. She was used as an accommodation
ship during the Yalta Conference in 1945 and on 30th March
1946 was acquired by the Ministry of Transport for use as
a troopship. Renamed Empire Medway in 1950, with Prince Line
as managers she was given a white hull with blue band and
yellow funnel and deployed between Southampton - Gibraltar
- Trieste or Cyprus - Port Said and Lebanon. In November 1952
she arrived at Faslane where she was broken up during 1953.
(Photo: A Duncan) 
SOUTHERN
PRINCE (1) was built in 1929 by Lithgows Ltd. at Port Glasgow
with a tonnage of 10917grt, a length of 514ft, a beam of 64ft
11in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. Sister of the Northern
Prince she was launched on 12th March 1929, underwent trial
during the following June and entered service in the August.
In 1940 she was converted into a minesweeper and joined the
1st Minelaying Squadron together with Blue Funnel's Agamemnon
and Prometheus, and Port Line's Port Napier and Port Quebec.
Between them they laid a mine barrage across the Northern
Approaches. During the Normandt D-Day landings she was the
headquarters ship of Rear-Admiral Rivett-Carnet as part of
Operation Neptune, the Naval part of the overall operation.
She left the Solent in convoy EWP 1 on 7th June 1944 and anchored
off Juno beach on the following day. The final days of the
war saw her in the Pacific as a fleet training ship. In 1947
she was sold to G. Costa fu Andrea of Genoa who refitted and
modernised her as the Anna C for their Genoa - South America
service. Re-engined with a Fiat diesel in 1952 to increase
her speed to 20.5 knots she was refitted again in 1960 in
order to accommodate 202 1st Class and 864 Tourist Class passengers
on the Central America service. After a further 12 years and
a total of 42 years service she was broken up at La Spezia
in 1972. (Photo: E Johnson) 
WESTERN
PRINCE (1) was built in 1929 by Napier & Miller Ltd. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 10926grt, a length of 514ft, a beam
of 64ft 11in and a service speed of 16.5 knots. Sister of
the Northern Prince she was launched on 20th June 1929 and
delivered in the following October. On 12th December 1940
she sailed from New York bound for Liverpool and on 16th was
torpedoed by U-96 400 miles west of the Orkney Islands with
the loss of 16 lives. 154 persons were rescued. (Photo: A
Duncan) 
SIAMESE
PRINCE (2) was built in 1929 by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co.
at Glasgow with a tonnage of 6607grt, a length of 441ft 6in,
a beam of 60ft 4in and a service speed of 14.5 knots. Completed
in September 1929 she was one of seven ships, six of which
were built for the Rio Cape Line. On 17th February 1941, during
a voyage from Halifax to Liverpool, she was torpedoed by U-69
in the North Atlantic. (Photo: A Duncan) 
RHODESIAN
PRINCE was built in 1935 by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 4684grt, a length of 407ft, a beam
of 55ft and a service speed of 10.5 knots. She was completed
in August 1935 as the Argentine Transport for the Empire Transport
Co. but transferred to Prince Line Ltd with the Renfrew Navigation
Co. as managers and renamed Rhodesian Prince. In 1937 she
was transferred to Furness Withy's Houlder Line for their
South American trade as the Owestry Grange, carrying general
cargo outward and grain on the return. On 12th February 1941
whilst in convoy SLS 64 sailing from Rosario to Liverpool
via Freetown she was caught and sunk by the German cruiser
Admiral Hipper in the North Atlantic (37. 10N 21. 20W) with
the loss of 5 lives. The Admiral Hipper had left Brest on
1st February and returned on 14th to refuel after sinking
seven ships. (Photo: A Duncan) 
PALESTINIAN
PRINCE was built in 1936 by William Hamilton & Co. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 1965grt, a length of 296ft 4in,
a beam of 44ft 2in and a service speed of 10 knots. Sister
of the Arabian Prince she entered service in December 1936.
In December 1959 she was sold to Cia Maritima Med. of Beirut
and renamed Happy Med. Six years later she was renamed Mimi
by the Emmameth Corp of Panama and in July 1970 she was broken
up at Split. (Photo: RJ Scott) 
AFRICAN
PRINCE (3) was built in 1939 by Furness Shipbuilding Co. at
Haverton Hill with a tonnage of 4653grt, a length of 437ft
5in, a beam of 42ft 10in and a service speed of 12 knots.
Completed in September 1939 she briefly served with Prince
Line before being requisitioned for duties with the Ministry
of War Transport. In 1961 she was sold to Mullion & Co.
of Hong Kong who changed her name to Ardmore. Four years later
she was sold for £200,000 to the Craft Shipping Co.
of Gibraltar, a subsidiary of Mullion & Co., and renamed
Kali Elpis. The Mullion fleet was transferred to Gibraltar
when the Viet Nam conflict broke out. She was broken up by
the Steel Corporation of India at Bombay in May 1969. (Photo:
A Duncan) 
