HMT Empire Orwell.

(Hired Military Transport)

The HMT Empire Orwell was built in 1936 and was launched as the Pretoria. Used as a hospital ship during the war she was taken as a war prize when she was renamed the Empire Doon and sailed under the Orient Line colours. In 1950 she had a major refit when she was renamed the Empire Orwell and was later sold to the Blue Funnel line. Renamed yet again she became the Gunung Diati and sailed between Indonesia and Djedda as a pilgrim carrier. Sold to the Indonesian Navy she became the Tanjung Pandan troopship before finally being scrapped in 1987 in Taiwan.

Published: 15th July 2008

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