Arandora Star

Arandora Star as a transport in 1940 (Royal Navy photograph)
History
Name:	Arandora (1927–29) Arandora Star (1929–40)
Owner:	Blue Star Line
Port of registry:	London
Route:	London — South America As a cruising liner she made voyages to Norway, Northern capitals, the Mediterranean and the West Indies among others.
Ordered:	1925
Builder:	Cammell Laird & Co, Birkenhead
Yard number:	921
Launched:	4 January 1927
Completed:	May 1927
In service:	1927
Out of service:	1940
Refit:	1929 as cruise liner by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering, Glasgow 1936 Main mast removed and accommodation extended to poop deck
Nickname(s):	"The Wedding Cake" or the "Chocolate Box" due to her paint scheme.
Fate:	Torpedoed and sunk 2 July 1940
General characteristics
Class and type:	ocean liner and refrigerated cargo ship (1927–29); cruise liner (1929–39); troop ship (1940)
Tonnage:	as built: 12,847 GRT 7,815 NRT after refit: 14,694 GRT 8,578 NRT
Length:	512.2 feet (156.1 m)
Beam:	68.3 feet (20.8 m)
Height:	as built: 34.0 feet (10.4 m) after refit: 42.5 feet (13.0 m)
Decks:	7 decks
Installed power:	2,078 NHP
Propulsion:	four steam turbines, single reduction geared onto two propeller shafts
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h)
Capacity:	Passengers: as built: 164 - 1st Class as a cruise liner: 354 - 1st Class
Notes:	sister ships: Almeda Star, Andalucia Star

Arandora (1927–29)

SS Arandora Star was a British passenger ship of the Blue Star Line. She was built in 1927 as an ocean liner and refrigerated cargo ship, converted in 1929 into a cruise ship and requisitioned as a troop ship in World War II. At the end of June 1940 she was assigned the task of transporting German and Italian internees and prisoners of war to Canada. On 2 July 1940 she was sunk in controversial circumstances by a German U-boat with a large loss of life, 865.

In 1925 Blue Star ordered a set of new liners for its new London – Rio de Janeiro – Buenos Aires route. Cammell Laird of Birkenhead built three sister ships: Almeda, Andalucia and Arandora. John Brown & Company of Clydebank built two: Avelona and Avila. Together the quintet came to be called the "luxury five".

Cammell Laird launched Arandora on 4 January 1927 and completed her in May. As originally built she measured 12,847 gross register tons (GRT), was 512.2 feet (156.1 m) long, had a beam of 68.3 feet (20.8 m) and accommodated 164 first class passengers. She had a service speed of 16 knots (30 km/h). A major refit in 1929 reduced her cargo space and increased her passenger accommodation to turn her into a cruise ship.

As Arandora she sailed from London to the east coast of South America from 1927 to 1928. In 1929 she was sent to Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited of Glasgow for refitting. In the refit, her gross tonnage was increased to 14,694 and first class accommodation was increased to 354 passengers. A tennis court was also placed abaft the funnels on the boat deck and a swimming pool was installed in the after well deck. Upon completion, she returned to service as a full-time luxury cruise ship. At the time of this refit, she was also renamed Arandora Star. The renaming was done to avoid confusion with Royal Mail Ships which typically bore names beginning and ending in 'A'.