NOTABLE RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 58, 6 September 1945, Page 8

NOTABLE RECORD

STRATHAIRD'S WAR SERVICE

Between her two visits to Wellington, the Strathaird has played a distinguished part in war, and she has come through almost unscathed. One of her most thrilling adventures was at the landing in North Africa, when, off Algiers, she was dive-bombed 26 times and, in association with the crippled H.M.S. Delhi, successfully beat off the attacks. A survey afterwards showed 11 Oerlikon cannon holes in the Strathaird's hull. The vessel's part in taking New Zealand's First Echelon overseas was not her initial part in the war. Actually she was a member of the first convoy to sail in the war—a voyage to Lagos. Later on she was engaged almost continuously on runs through the Mediterranean and the Canal, and she was one of the last ships to leave the Mediterranean when Italy declared war. A subsequent mission was with the "big fellows" in conveying the first Americans to Belfast, and it was after that again that the Strathaird renewed acquaintance with the North African coast, this time with that great convoy which landed the troops there. The last ship to unload at Algiers, she was subjected to heavy attacks from the air with the added danger of floating mines fore and aft. Both she and the Delhi fought a great battle, and from that thrilling experience the big liner went on with the transportation job which she is still fulfilling—up to today at any rate. For some time she was based on Durban, and her last mission prior to coming back to New Zealand was to take South African P.O.W.s back home. FIRST HOUSE FLAG. The Strathaird is the first overseas ship to fly her house flag at the mainmast in the port of Wellington since prior to the outbreak of the late war.