 HMY Alexandra
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Alexandra |
| Namesake | Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom |
| Owner | His Majesty's Government |
| Operator | Royal Navy |
| Builder | A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow |
| Yard number | 280 |
| Launched | 30 May 1907 |
| Completed | April 1908 |
| Maiden voyage | June 1908 |
| Out of service | June 1922 |
| Fate | Sold to the Norwegian shipping company Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskab in May 1925 |
 Norway | |
| Name | Prins Olav |
| Namesake | Prince Olav of Norway |
| Owner | Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskab |
| Port of registry | Trondheim |
| Route |
|
| Cost | £25,000 |
| Acquired | May 1925 |
| Maiden voyage | Bergen–North Cape, beginning on 5 July 1925 |
| Refit |
|
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sunk by German bombers on 9 June 1940 |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Type |
|
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 90 m (300 ft) |
| Beam | 12.2 m (40 ft) |
| Draught | 13 ft (4.0 m) |
| Propulsion | Three Parsons turbines with 4,035 ihp |
| Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Capacity | 100 passengers (after 1925 rebuild) |
| General characteristics after 1937 rebuild | |
| Type |
|
| Tonnage |
|
| Propulsion | 3,500 ihp four-cylinder compound engine |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h) |
| Capacity | 450 passengers |
HMY Alexandra was a steamship built as a British royal yacht, completed in 1908. Normally transporting Britain's royal family to European ports, Alexandra served as a hospital ship during the First World War. After 17 years of British service, she was sold to Norwegian commercial interests in 1925. Renamed Prins Olav, she was first used as a luxury cruise ship on trips to the North Cape, she was converted to take more passengers and cargo. In 1937 she began sailing as a Hurtigruten passenger/cargo ship along the coast of Norway. After being requisitioned by the Norwegian government following the 9 April 1940 German invasion of Norway, she transported troops for the Norwegian war effort. Prins Olav was sunk by German bombers on 9 June 1940, while attempting to escape to the United Kingdom as the Norwegian Campaign was coming to an end.