Official Number: 145919
Laid down: 1920
Builder: Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd
Launched: 14 December 1920
Pennant No: F 30
Into Service: 3 September 1939
Out of service: 2 December 1940
Fate: 2 December 1940 torpedoed & sunk
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA
Career Data:
1920 laid down as Montmorency
14 December 1920 launched at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Lyd., Govan as Yard Nr: 529 named Montrose for Canadian Pacific Railway Co., Montreal
March 1922 completed. 542 x Cabin Class & 1,268 3rd Class passengers
5 May 1922 sailed on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal
14 July 1923 berthed at Liverpool from Montreal and Quebec
25 April 1925 berthed at Liverpool from St John, New Brunswick, Canada
9 January 1926 berthed at Liverpool from Montreal and Quebec
5 June 1926 berthed at Liverpool from Montreal and Quebec
1928 now carried a combination of Cabin, Tourist & 3rd Class passengers
1 November 1928 berthed at Southampton from Montreal and Quebec
29 May 1929 first voyage from Hamburg to Montreal
17 August 1929 berthed at Liverpool from Montreal and Quebec
4 October 1929 berthed at Southampton from Montreal and Quebec
1931 new geared turbins fitted at Belfast
1932 used almost exclusively for cruising
4 November 1932 berthed at Southampton from Montreal and Quebec
6 May 1933 berthed at Southampton from Montreal and Quebec
26 June 1933 berthed at Southampton from Montreal and Quebec
3 September 1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as an Armed Merchant Cruiser
6 November 1939 commissioned as HMS FORFAR
2 December 1940 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-99 west of Ireland in position 54.35N 18.18W with the loss of 172 lives. She had just left Convoy HX90 and was bound for Convoy OB251 and was hit by 5 torpedoes. 21 survivors were rescued by HMCS ST LAURENT, HMS VISCOUNT and ss Dunsley and were landed at Oban