SS Orcades (1936)

History
United Kingdom
Name	RMS Orcades (1937–39) HMT Orcades (1939–42)
Namesake	Orkney
Owner	Orient Line
Port of registry	London
Route	England – Mediterranean – Suez Canal – Ceylon – Australia (1937–39)
Builder	Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness, England
Launched	7 December 1936
Completed	July 1937
Identification	UK official number 165501 Call sign GZSR
Fate	Sunk by torpedoes 10 October 1942 fired by U-172
General characteristics
Tonnage	23,456 GRT tonnage under deck 13,096 14,029 NRT
Length	639.3 feet (194.9 m)
Beam	82.2 feet (25.1 m)
Draught	30 feet 2 inches (9.19 m)
Depth	33.6 feet (10.2 m)
Decks	2
Installed power	4,912 NHP
Propulsion	6 Parsons steam turbines; single reduction gearing; twin screws
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h)
Capacity	741 passengers
Crew	290 crew plus 36 DEMS gunners
Armament	(as DEMS): 1 × 6 in (150 mm) gun 1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun 4 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon anti-aircraft guns 5 × machine guns
Notes	sister ship: RMS Orion

RMS Orcades was a British passenger ship that Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd of Barrow-in-Furness built as an ocean liner in 1937. Her owner was Orient Line, which operated her between Britain and Australia 1937–39, and also as a cruise ship.^[1] The British Admiralty then requisitioned her and had her converted into a troopship.

In 1942 the German submarine U-172 attacked her off South Africa. Orcades' crew and gunners fought to fend off the submarine and save their ship, and it took U-172 two and a half hours and seven torpedoes to sink her. Orcades' Master, Charles Fox, was decorated by the Crown and Lloyd's of London for his bravery and leadership.