On 6 September 1939 the passenger ship Ranpura of the P. & O. Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. Conversion was completed on 30 November 1939.
Career:
December 39 - February 40: Mediterranean Fleet
March 40 - April 40: South Atlantic Station
May 40: Halifax Escort Force
June 40 - April 41: Bermuda and Halifax Escort Force
Mar, 1941 - HMS Ranpura (A/Capt. H.T.W. Pawsey, RN) transported gold from the United Kingdom to Bermuda through Iceland in March 1941.
May 41 - October 41: North Atlantic Escort Force
November 41 - February 42: East Indies Station
March 42 - May 43: Eastern Fleet (Indian Ocean)
In May 1943 sold to the Admiralty and converted to a repair ship. Broken up La Spezia 1961.
Displacement: 16583 BRT
Armament: 8x 152mm, 2x 76mm
Speed: 17 knots
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