EMPIRE ORWELL

Built by Blohm and Voss at Hamburg in 1936 as Pretoria for German East Africa Line - 17,362 gt.
1939 taken over by the German Navy and in 1940 became a hospital ship.
In May 1945 taken as a prize at Copenhagen and allocated to Britain.Fitted out as a troopship at
Newcastle and renamed Empire Doon....MOWT and managed by the Orient Line..
During service experienced persistent engine problems and was towed home from Port Said and
laid up off Southend ( I recall seeing her there for about 2 years)... Eventually towed to Southampton
where she was re boilered and her turbines modified by Thornycroft and Co...More than 2 years later
and with the work completed she was renamed Empire Orwell with accomodation for 1500 troops.
End 1957 she was withdrawn from service..Chartered for a few months by the Pan-Islamic SS co of
Karachi then bought by Blue Funnel Line and refitted for a pilgrim service between Indonesia and Jeddah - she was given the name Gunung Djati.. In 1964 she was sold to Indonesia..
In 1979 transferred to the Indonesian Navy and became a troopship Kri Tanjung Pandan.
1987 Broken up at Taiwan.
Stan

Hi Stan.
The Empire Orwell was the happiest ship
I sailed on,did seven trips on her way back
in 1955.
Dave Williams

After all the hiccups she experienced I am pleased to hear it David..
As she was managed by the Orient Line I knew some of the crew
members who lived in the Grays and Tilbury areas.
Regards,
Stan

Photo by T. Rayner.

Rich

Sailed to Hong Kong as 10 year old with family and troops in orwell about 1952 was led to believe it was used by Nazis to accommodate future master race parents on cruises,sumptuous lounge seemed to support this. Memorable passage as was the Lancaster ( Lancashire?) on the way back on its 3rd final trip to scrap docked with from hatch tied down and superstructure in a mess . Lascar crew I had curry every day for 5weeks