Rather
than being a British ship attacked by a German torpedo, the Empire Ken
started her life as the Ubena, one of several luxury vessels operated by
the German East Africa Line in the 1930s. During WW2, she became part of
the Nazi fleet, helping to service submarine flotillas. In February 1945,
she was used to transport German wounded and helped evacuate refugees from
East Prussia.
As
part of war reparations, the UK claimed heron 17 July 1945, while she was
tied up in Copenhagen, and converted to transport British troops, far more
than she had been designed to carry in her heyday (see below) - 114 in
first class, 78 in second and 132 in third class).
The Ubena
Back
|
|