SS Awatea 1936-1942

The SS Awatea was built in 1932 for the USSCo by Vickers Armstrong Ltd at Barrow in Furness for the Trans-Tasman service. It had a length of 161 metres and a passenger capacity of 560. Its propulsion was Twin Screw Steam turbine.  It was considered the finest ship ever built for the company and was capable of 23 knots, which made it one of the fastest liners in the world at that time.

In 1939 it was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a troopship. It collided with and sank USS Buck. Subsequently it was outfitted as an infantry land ship complete with landing craft. 

It was sunk by enemy action off Bougie, Algeria on 11 November 1942 during Operation Torch. All 150 crew were rescued.