M. S. "BEAVERBRAE". Postcard (1950s)

M. S. BEAVERBRAE

Postcard published by Verlag M. Schmidt, Bremen, Nº 75.
Circulated in Germany in March 1954.

The M.S. Beaverbrae ( 9,034 tons) was built as Huascaran by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg (Germany), in 1939, for the Hamburg-America Line. She made his maiden voyage from Hamburg and the West coast of South America. On return taken over by German Navy for conversion to a submarine depot ship. Spent most of WW2 in Norway where she was captured undamaged by the Allies in 1945. Allocated to Canada as war reparation; refit at Liverpool 1947. Purchased by Canadian Pacific and renamed Beaverbrae, she made her first sailing for them 8 February 1948 from St.John NB with cargo to London. She then sailed to Bremen to pick up passengers for Canada. Eventually she made 51 sailings from Bremen carrying 38,000 displaced persons to Canada as refugees whilst carrying cargo eastbound. Her last emigrant voyage to Canada departed on 28 July 1954. Sold to Compagnia Genovese d'Armamento, Genoa 1 November 1954, she was rebuilt at Monfalcone to 10,022 GRT with accommodation for 1,124 tourist class passengers. Renamed Aurelia, she sailed from Trieste on13 May 1955, via Suez to Australia and made later voyages from Genoa. Re-engined in 1958-59 and rebuilt to 10,480 tons, and she started Bremen-Suez-Australia service on 12 June 1959. In 1962 she began a round of 34 voyages between English Channel ports and New York. In 1970 she was sold to Chandris Lines, renamed Romanza and refitted for cruising. Resold to Ambassador Leisure in 1991; renamed Romantica and cruised in the eastern Mediterranean. In 1997 she caught fire returning to Cyprus from Egypt and was abandoned without casualties. The burnt out hulk was towed to Limassol and scrapped the following year.

Traveler's collection.