Famous ships that called at the Cape – John H Marsh Maritime Collection

From passenger to troopship to floating hotel SHAW SAVILL Line’s Dominion Monarch occupied a special place in the heart of FTW founder John H Marsh, creator of the now internationally renowned John Marsh Maritime Collection, housed in the Iziko; SA Maritime Museum at the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town. As shipping editor of the Cape Argus at the time, he was invited to sail on the ship’s maiden voyage on the UK via the Cape to Australia and New Zealand run. His mandate was to promote the ship via press and radio, reporting via ship-to-shore broadcasts, photo-news reports and other publicity media, and it was possibly thanks to John Marsh’s enthusiasm that it assumed great popularity. When the DM, as she was affectionately known, was launched in 1939, she was the most powerful motor-driven ship in the world.. She provided first class only accommodation for 517 passengers in comfortable and spacious interiors. Cargo space was also generous, with six holds containing 505 000 cubic feet of refrigerated cargo capacity. There was a further 162 000 cu ft for general cargo. Built by famous shipbuilders of the time, Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Newcastle-on-Tyne, she made the fastest passages on record between Durban and Fremantle in just over eight days. With a service route of Southampton- Tenerife- Cape Town- Durban- Fremantle- Sydney- New Zealand ports and return, she formed an important link with the southern hemisphere. But on her third outward voyage in August 1939, the Second World War broke out and she was soon requisitioned for conversion to a troopship by the British government. Overall, a successful wartime period of trooping followed during which DM carried some 90 000 troops covering 350 000 miles in the five years of war service. In 1948 the ship was returned to Shaw Savill Line. But the line in the interim had decided on another revolutionary concept in ship design. In 1954 the 20 204 ton Southern Cross, carrying far more passengers and having a passenger-orientated design for deck and accommodation layout, was launched. Unable to compete with the airlines, the DM was withdrawn from service in 1962 to make way for the round-the-world cruise liner Northern Star, new consort to Southern Cross. After an unsuccessful stint as a floating hotel ship for visitors to the World’s Fair in Seattle, she was sailed across the Pacific to arrive at Osaka for scrapping by new owners Mitsui later the same year. IZIKO; SA MARITIME MUSEUM References; John H. Marsh Maritime Collection, Iziko; SA Maritime Museum.“Shaw, Savill & Albion, The Post-War Fortunes of a Shipping Empire” by Richard P. de Kerbrech Shaw Savill’s Dominion Monarch, which became a regular caller at Cape Town and Durban en route to Australia and New Zealand via the Cape in 1939, was extremely popular for her high standards of interior design, spacious passenger areas and comfort while carrying mainly refrigerated cargoes.