Untitled

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 94, 15 January 1936, Page 5

To hear of a British liner carrying troops for service abroad seems like an eclioufroin the Great War; nevertheless, such was lite experience of the Shaw, Savill and Albion liner lonic, which arrived in Auckland from London recently. As part of her annual programme, the steamer was scheduled to be laid up at Southampton for some weeks, when she received an order to carry 1300 troops to Alexandria, Egypt. Within ten days the ship was completely transformed. Extra davits to accommodate launches and lifeboats were fitted, ami one lot of boats warswung out on to (he falls. 'The holds were converted so as to accommodate hammocks, while temporary wooden structures were built on the deck. About 200 troops were landed at Gibraltar, and another 200 transported from there to Alexandria. The contingent, which included 05 oflicers and 36 nurses, were for foreign service, and they were distributed at Cairo and various other military stations. The vessel was away from England for about a month and returned just in time to tit out for her voyage to New Zealand.