HMS Largs

HMS Largs at Greenock
History
 France
Name: MV Charles Plumier
Owner: Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (The French Line)
Builder: Chantiers & Ateliers de Provence at Port de Bouc
Commissioned: 1938
Captured: by Royal Navy November 1941
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Largs
Acquired: November 1941
Decommissioned: 1945
Fate: Returned to France
France
Commissioned: 1945
Decommissioned: 1964
Fate: Sold to Greek Cruise company
 Greece
Name: MV Pleias
Commissioned: 1964
Decommissioned: 1968
Fate: Scrapped 1968
General characteristics
Class & type: cargo-passenger ship
Tonnage: 4,626 tons GRT
Length: 104,45 m
Beam: 15,8 m
Draught: deadweight 2386 tons
Propulsion: 2 propellers, 2-stroke MAN-Diesel engines, 5200HP
Speed: 14,5 Knots

HMS Largs was a former Compagnie Generale Transatlantique (French Line)[1] fruit (banana) ship captured by the Royal Navy ship HMS Faulknor[2] five months after the Battle of France while docked at Gibraltar in November 1940 and commissioned as an "Ocean Boarding Vessel". She subsequently became a Combined Operations Headquarters ship for almost every significant amphibious operation of World War II, including Operations Torch, Husky and Overlord and she would be manned by naval, army and air force crew.[3]

Royal Navy Transfer

She was built by France and named MV Charles Plumier[2] in 1938. Following the creation of Vichy France and Free France she was transferred in 1941 to the Royal Navy, instead of being handed over to the Free French Navy, and renamed HMS Largs. She took part in many operations including Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, and Operation Overlord, during the invasion of Normandy.[4] she was the headquarters ship for Sword Beach.[5]

Pacific & Post WWII

In 1945 she was transferred to the Pacific War and used in actions in Thailand and Malaya. After the end of the war she was handed back to France, and served for nineteen years. She was sold off to a private company from Greece in 1964 as a cruise ship, and given the name MV Pleias. She was scrapped in 1968.

References

  1. ↑ French Lines cargo ship CHARLES-PLUMIER
  2. 1 2 "A 6944". www.iwm.org.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Normandy: Combined Operations". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Memories of D-Day: Naval Memories". www.ddaymuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "HMS Largs". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2012.


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