HILARY

RMS HILARY (3), imo 1162350/ 135m/ 7.403gt/ 14kn/ single screw/ one funnel, two masts/ accommodation for 80-1st and 250-3rd class passengers. 17/04/1931 launched by Cammel, Laird & Co, Birkenhead for Booth Steamship Co., Ltd., Liverpool, she was used on the Liverpool - Para - Manaus service, "1.000 miles up the Amazon", calling Leixões, Lisbon, Funchal, Fortaleza, Belem do Pará, etc,; 1940 she was converted to an Ocean Boarding Vessel, commissioned as HMS HILARY and used on North Atlantic patrols where she captured two Italian ships; 1942 returned to her owners and used as a North Atlantic convoy commodore ship; 1943 recommissioned as HMS HILARY, fitted with assault craft as an infantry landing ship; 07/1943 used as Rear Admiral Sir Philip Vian's headquarters ship for the invasion of Sicily and carried the 1st Canadian Division and No.2 Royal Marine Commando: 09/1943 used in same capacity for invasion of Salerno under Commodore G. N. Oliver: 12/1943 returned to UK, based at Portsmouth. June 1944 acted as a headquarters ship for Normandy invasion; 1945 returned to owners and refitted; 11/06/1953 aground in a sandbank River Amazon; 1956 white painted and was chartered to Elder Dempster & Co., Liverpool., for their Liverpool - Lagos service; 1957 again in Amazon, replacing RMS HILDEBRAND, meanwhile wrecked near Cascais, passing calling Port of Spain, Trinidad, on homeward; 15/09/1959 arrived Inverkeithing for breaking up.
Seen Leixões late 40's
Foto Mar, Leixões