The RMS Rangitata was an ocean passenger liner, built in 1929, and scrapped in 1962. She was operated by the New Zealand Shipping Company between London and Wellington, New Zealand, via the Panama Canal with her two sister ships Rangitiki and Rangitane.[1]
During World War II, in 1940 Rangitata had already sailed from Liverpool with 113 evacuated children under the Children's Overseas Reception Board CORB scheme on 25 September, but was recalled the same day (due to the crisis caused by the sinking of 'City of Benares' a week earlier), and children disembarked. However, she sailed again on 28 August 1940, bound for Halifax, then through the Panama Canal and on to New Zealand in convoy OB-205, with SS Volendam (carrying children bound for Canada, which was torpedoed), with 120 CORB children arriving safely in New Zealand.
She also operated as a troopship, for example in convoy US1 taking New Zealand troops to the Middle East in January 1940[2]. She had returned to civilian service by 1949.