SS ''Königin Luise'' ("Queen Louise") was a built in 1896 by Vulcan Shipbuilding Corp. of Stettin,

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, for the

North German Lloyd Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL; North German Lloyd) was a German shipping company. It was founded by Hermann Henrich Meier and Eduard Crüsemann in Bremen on 20 February 1857. It developed into one of the most important German shipping companies of t ...

line of Bremen. She served on the company's Australian, Far East, and North Atlantic routes for nearly two decades. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, ''Königin Luise'' was one of only two ships of her class to avoid being

interned Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...

in neutral ports, spending the war in German ports. After the war, ''Königin Luise'' was allocated as

war reparations War reparations are compensation payments made after a war by one side to the other. They are intended to cover damage or injury inflicted during a war. History Making one party pay a war indemnity is a common practice with a long history. ...

to the United Kingdom, sold to the

Orient Steam Navigation Company The Orient Steam Navigation Company, also known as the Orient Line, was a British shipping company with roots going back to the late 18th century. From the early 20th century onwards, an association began with P&O which became 51% shareholde ...

in 1921 and renamed ''Omar''. She was sold again in 1924 to the Byron SS Co of London and operated on the Piraeus – New York service until scrapped in 1935.

''Königin Luise''

''Königin Luise'' was built by AG Vulcan for the

(NDL) line and completed 17 March 1896. Along with her sister ships , and , the ''Königin Luise'' worked Australian, Far East, and North Atlantic routes for NDL. On Australian and Far East voyages she used the Suez Canal, and was one of the largest ships regularly using the canal. At the outbreak of World War I ''Königin Luise'' was in port in Germany, thus avoiding internment, and due to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

blockade, she was laid up. Following the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...

, she was allocated as

to the UK, and was surrendered to the UK

Shipping Controller Shipping Controller was a post created by the Lloyd George Coalition Government in 1916 under the New Ministries and Secretaries Act (6 & 7 George 5 c.68) to regulate and organize merchant shipping in order to supply the United Kingdom with the m ...

on 10 April 1919. She was allocated to the

. In mid 1919, she departed from Devonport, England, carrying Australian troops returning home, including

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

winner James Park Woods. On 20 October 1919, British troops embarked her (now described as HT ''Konigin Luise'') in India to travel to England. On 8 September 1920, during third London – Australia voyage, she collided at Lisbon with the British steamship ''Loughborough'', which sank.

''Omar''

In January 1921 the ship was sold to the Orient Steam Navigation Company, which renamed her ''Omar''.

''Edison''

The ship was again sold in July 1924 to Byron SS Co. of London, and renamed ''Edison''. She worked the Piraeus – New York route until being scrapped in 1935 in Italy.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Konigin Luise 1896 ships Barbarossa-class ocean liners Passenger ships of the United Kingdom Ships built in Stettin Ships of Norddeutscher Lloyd Steamships of the United Kingdom