MS Batory
Encyclopedia
The M/S Batory was a large (14,287 BRT) ocean liner
of the Polish merchant fleet, named after Stefan Batory
, the famous sixteenth-Century king of Poland.
She was built at the Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico Monfalcone
Shipyard in Trieste
, Italy, under an arrangement where part of her payment was made in shipments of coal from Poland. She was among the most notable tourist attractions of the Polish seaside and among the best-known Polish ships of the time. She was launched on 8 July 1935. The ship was powered by 2 sets of Burmeister and Wain diesel engines driving 2 screws giving a speed of 18 knots. She began regular service in May 1936 on the Gdynia—New York run, and by 1939 she had carried over 30,000 passengers.
Mobilized at the outbreak of World War II
, she served as a troop transport
and a hospital ship
by the Allied Navy for the rest of the war. In June to July, 1940 she secretly transported much of Britain
's gold
reserves (₤40 million) from Greenock
, Scotland to Montreal, Canada for safekeeping. In August to September of that year, she transported 700 British children to Australia
for safekeeping. After that journey she was nicknamed the "singing ship". In the same year she, along with M/S Chrobry
, transported allied troops to Norway
. She participated in the evacuation of Dunkirk, taking aboard 2,500 persons. Later she took as many as 6,000 people in one evacuation.
She was involved in the invasion of Oran
in Algeria
in 1942, transported troops to India
and the invasions of Sicily
and southern France
, where she was the flagship of General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
, Commander-in-Chief of the French Army
. She came under attack several times from the ground and the air, but managed to escape serious damage and was dubbed "the lucky ship".
Dubbed the Lucky Ship for her military career during World War II, she was a sister to the less fortunate MS Piłsudski which was sunk in November 1939.
Returned to Poland in 1946, she continued her civilian service, transporting such eminents as Ryszard Kapuściński
. From May 1949 through January 1951, she was the subject of several political incidents in which dockers and shipyard
workers in the United States
refused to unload cargo
from her, or to service the ship by drydocking and paint
ing. After these incidents, she was withdrawn from the North Atlantic route, refurbished at Hepburn
for tropic service, and sailed in August 1951 from Gdynia
and Southampton
to Bombay and Karachi
, via Gibraltar
, Malta
, Aden
, and Suez
. In 1957, she returned to the North Atlantic route. She continued in service until 1971, when she was scrapped in Hong Kong
.
She was replaced by TSS Stefan Batory
, which began service in April 1969.
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
of the Polish merchant fleet, named after Stefan Batory
Stefan Batory
Stephen Báthory was a Hungarian noble Prince of Transylvania , then King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania . He was a member of the Somlyó branch of the noble Hungarian Báthory family...
, the famous sixteenth-Century king of Poland.
She was built at the Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico Monfalcone
Monfalcone
Monfalcone is a town and comune of the province of Gorizia , located on the coast of the Gulf of Trieste. Monfalcone means "Mount of Falcon" in Italian....
Shipyard in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Italy, under an arrangement where part of her payment was made in shipments of coal from Poland. She was among the most notable tourist attractions of the Polish seaside and among the best-known Polish ships of the time. She was launched on 8 July 1935. The ship was powered by 2 sets of Burmeister and Wain diesel engines driving 2 screws giving a speed of 18 knots. She began regular service in May 1936 on the Gdynia—New York run, and by 1939 she had carried over 30,000 passengers.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she served as a troop transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
and a hospital ship
Hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
by the Allied Navy for the rest of the war. In June to July, 1940 she secretly transported much of Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
reserves (₤40 million) from Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland to Montreal, Canada for safekeeping. In August to September of that year, she transported 700 British children to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for safekeeping. After that journey she was nicknamed the "singing ship". In the same year she, along with M/S Chrobry
MS Chrobry
MS Chrobry was a Polish passenger ship built for the Poland - South America Line to replace the aging and the . She was named in honour of the first Polish king Bolesław I Chrobry....
, transported allied troops to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. She participated in the evacuation of Dunkirk, taking aboard 2,500 persons. Later she took as many as 6,000 people in one evacuation.
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
in 1942, transported troops to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and the invasions of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where she was the flagship of General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny, GCB, MC was a French military hero of World War II and commander in the First Indochina War.-Early life:...
, Commander-in-Chief of the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
. She came under attack several times from the ground and the air, but managed to escape serious damage and was dubbed "the lucky ship".
Dubbed the Lucky Ship for her military career during World War II, she was a sister to the less fortunate MS Piłsudski which was sunk in November 1939.
Returned to Poland in 1946, she continued her civilian service, transporting such eminents as Ryszard Kapuściński
Ryszard Kapuscinski
Ryszard Kapuściński was a Polish journalist and writer whose dispatches in book form brought him a global reputation. Also a photographer and poet, he was born in Pińsknow in Belarusin the Kresy Wschodnie or eastern borderlands of the second Polish Republic, into poverty: he would say later that...
. From May 1949 through January 1951, she was the subject of several political incidents in which dockers and shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
workers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
refused to unload cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
from her, or to service the ship by drydocking and paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
ing. After these incidents, she was withdrawn from the North Atlantic route, refurbished at Hepburn
Hepburn
Hepburn is a family name of the Anglo-Scottish Border, that is associated with a variety of famous personages, eponyms, places, and things. Although commonly a Scottish name its origins lie to the south of the border in the north of England. Specifically, the name is thought to have derived from...
for tropic service, and sailed in August 1951 from Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
and Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to Bombay and Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, via Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, and Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
. In 1957, she returned to the North Atlantic route. She continued in service until 1971, when she was scrapped in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
She was replaced by TSS Stefan Batory
TSS Stefan Batory
The TS/S Stefan Batory was an ocean liner built in Holland in 1952 under the name of SS Maasdam, initially used to service the Dutch East Indies by the Holland America Line....
, which began service in April 1969.
