SS Athos II (1925)
| History | |
|---|---|
 France
|
|
| Name: | Athos II |
| Owner: | Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes |
| Builder: | Aktien-Gesellschaft „Weser", Bremen |
| Launched: | 12 November 1925 |
| Completed: | January 1927 |
| Maiden voyage: | 25 March 1927 |
| In service: | 25 March 1927 |
| Out of service: | July 1959 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 15,276 GRT 10,222 DWT |
| Length: |
|
| Beam: | 66 ft 2 in (20.2 m) |
| Depth: | 41 ft 4 in (12.6 m) |
| Decks: | 4 |
| Propulsion: | 2 DR geared steam turbines4 |
| Speed: |
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Athos II was a passenger and cargo liner for Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes making her maiden voyage from Marseilles 25 March 1927 starting on the line's Far East service serving Marseilles, Malaya, Indo-China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kobe and Yokohama. The ship, laid down in 1923 and launched 12 November 1925, had been completed by Aktien-Gesellschaft „Weser", Bremen and delivered to the French as part of World War I reparations. After a 1937 refit, including boilers increasing speed to 19 knots (21.9 mph; 35.2 km/h), Athos II resumed Far East service.
The ship started World War II in French national service until captured by the Allies in North Africa and then being turned over to the United States War Shipping Administration by Free French authorities at Casablanca for operation as a troop transport allocated to the United States Army until returned to the French government in March 1946.
Athos II transported French troops to French Indochina, Korea, during the Suez intervention and lastly Algeria in the postwar years as well as a period carrying North African pilgrims to Jeddah.
At the outbreak of World War II Athos II was still on the Far Eastern route but on 1 February 1940 at Colombo, Celyon joined the Australian/New Zealand convoy, designated US1 for secrecy and transporting about 13,500 troops to North Africa, under an escort then led by HMS Ramillies. After passage through the Suez Canal and return to France Athos II began Marseilles, Egypt and Syria service until the 22 June 1940 German-French armistice when the ship was laid up at Alexandria, Egypt along with other French ships seized in the Suez Canal and Egyptian waters. In addition to the merchant ships was a French naval force, Force X, under Admiral Rene-Emile Godfroy that had been operating with the British fleet out of Alexandria. After the fall of France with German controlled Vichy France controlling French ports the French were faced with the options of continuing with the Allies under General de Gaulle, demilitarizing or being sunk by the British. The British action against the French fleet at Oran stalled demilitarization but that resumed after further negotiations with the result reduction of French fleet's manpower, some 4,000 men, to one-third was required. Two thousand French sailors had already left Alexandria when Athos II was allowed to sail on 13 July 1940 with the 1,000 remaining personnel of Force X and some merchant crew members to France. In September 1940 repatriated French troops from Syria and then became the guard ship at Algiers until captured by the Allies in November 1942 during Operation Torch.
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