PORT CHALMERS was built in 1933 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend with a tonnage of 8535grt, a length of 506ft 10in, a beam of 65ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Prior to her maiden voyage in January 1934 she was presented with a green stone miniature of a Maori God as a good luck charm. This was put on display in the saloon and the Maoris believe that the subsequent charmed life of the ship was due to the fact that the gift was always treated with respect by the crew.

She continued to participate in convoy duties for the remainder of the war and during the hostilities earned twenty five decorations. In June 1965, after a farewell luncheon and Malta convoy reunion at the King George V Dock in London, she sailed on her 66th voyage to New Zealand after which she proceeded to Kaohsiung where she was broken up by Nam Feng Steel Enterprises.

Sorry the first paragraph was duplicated. Only noticed it at work this morning during a break.

Thank for this very interesting stamp series, Peter, commemorating a famous event in merchant and naval history.
Amazing to see how many of the ships started life in the North East.

A moment from June 24th 1962 caught while the veteran was being manoeuvred off her birth place at Wallsend. Her upper works appear to have received attention from the painting gangs while her hull awaits its turn. Perhaps she was about to be dry docked for painting to be completed.
Delivered in 1933 by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson to the Port Line she served her owners until her sale to Formosan ship breakers Nam Feng Steel Enterprises Co. in 1965 where she arrived on 15th November.

As has been well documented she survived two Malta convoys during WW II. In the summer of 1942 she was one of a fourteen ship fast convoy taking urgent supplies to the island, escorted by two battleships, four aircraft carriers, cruisers and destroyers. Only five of the merchantmen survived enemy attacks to reach the island, Port Chalmers being the only one without casualties or damage. During this voyage a 21" torpedo became entangled in her starboard paravane, once it was cut away the ship received no more than a good shaking when the torpedo was exploded.

Great photo. You must have had your long waders on to take that photo.

Actually I was puzzled to see that the date on my record card denotes that the pic was taken on a Thursday yet I always assumed that I was aboard one of the Sunday afternoon river cruises on the day. Would a passenger vessel come so close to a large ship not under her own control I now wonder.
I have enjoyed one or two trips on tugs over the years but don't recall if this was one of those occasions.