The Euripodes
This information has been passed to me by Lorraine Stephens (lozza@eisa.net.au) and I am very grateful to her for taking so much trouble to research it, thank you.
The sources were two books called "North Star to Southern Cross" and "Emigrant Ships To Luxury Liners".
The ship Euripodes was renamed AKAROA in about 1930 of the Shaw Savill Line.
AKAROA
One of the oldest liners to be refitted for regular commercial service after the war was Akaroa, which made her first voyage to Australia just before the start of World War One. This vessel was launched on 29 January 1914 as Euripides for the Aberdeen Line, and departed London on 1 July bound for Australia on her maiden voyage. Arriving in Brisbane the
following month, she was requisitioned by the Australian Government, and converted to transport 2340 troops and some horses. In June 1917 she came under the control of the British Government, but continued as a troopship until being handed back to her owners in February 1919.
Following a refit, she returned to commercial service in September 1920, carrying 140 first class and 334 third class, plus 750 migrantts on outbound passages from London to Australia. In 1929 the Aberdeen Line ceased operation and Euripides was controlled by White Star Line within the Kylsant Group until 1932, when she was transferred to Shaw Savill Line.
During an extensive refit, the vessel was converted from coal to oil firing and given accommodation for just 200 cabin class passengers. She was then renamed Akaroa and on 30 Decembeer 1932 left Southampton on her first voyage to New Zealand.
Akaroa remained on the New Zealand trade throughout the war years though under the Shipping Controller and made occasional trips to Australia during this period. In 1946 she went to Newcastle for a much needed refit, emerging with accommodation for 190 cabin class passengers.
On 5 July 1947 Akaroa resumed her commercial career with a departure from London for Auckland and Wellington then on to Melbourne and back to Britain around South Africa. She made a further four visits to Australia up to July 1950 but most of her voyages were to New Zealand and return making three trips each year.
On 28 April 1954 Akaroa arrived at Southampton at the end of her final voyage and was then sold. On 12 May 1954 the old liner arrived at the shipbreaking yard of J de Smedt and Co in Antwerp where she was scrapped.
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