De Grasse
De Grasse - Empress of Australia - Venezuela
 
 
These pages are devoted to postcards and photographs of the CGT (French Line) Atlantic liner De Grasse of 1924. De Grasse was laid down as Suffren but renamed during a lengthy 4-year building period at Cammell, Laird & Co, Birkenhead. She operated on the CGT Havre-New York service until 1940, when seized by the Germans. De Grasse was sunk by gunfire at Bordeaux on August 30th, 1944. De Grasse was raised and refitted, re-entering service with CGT on her old route in 1947, now with only one funnel. She was transferred to the Caribbean service in 1952, and sold to Canadian Pacific as their Empress of Australia in 1953. The Empress of Australia was bought by Grimaldi-SIOSA in 1956 and renamed Venezuela. Following rebuilding for their Italy-West Indies-Venezuela service, her passenger capacity increased from 664 to nearly 1500. Venezuela was lost in 1962, off Cannes.
 
 
Ship Names on this Page:-
De Grasse - French Line (CGT) 1924-53
Empress of Australia - Canadian Pacific 1953-56
Venezuela - Grimaldi-SIOSA 1956-62
 
Associated Pages:-
French Line - Page 5 - 1914-1930 Postcard Galleries
Canadian Pacific Line
Grimaldi-SIOSA Line
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
 
 
 
 
De Grasse (1)
(CGT: 1924-40, 1947-53)
 
De Grasse was laid down as Suffren but renamed during a lengthy 4-year building period at Cammell, Laird & Co, Birkenhead. She operated on the CGT Havre-New York service until 1940, when seized by the Germans. She was sunk by gunfire at Bordeaux on August 30th, 1944. De Grasse was raised and refitted, re-entering service with CGT on her old route in 1945. She was transferred to the Caribbean service in 1952, and sold to Canadian Pacific as their Empress of Australia in 1953.
 
 
CGT official art card of De Grasse in orginal condition with two funnels, whilst on the New York-Plymouth-Havre route.
 
 
 
CGT official art card of De Grasse in orginal condition with two funnels at new York.
 
 
 
A CGT official sepia art card of De Grasse in orginal condition with two funnels.
 
 
 
A CAP (Strasbourg) postcard of De Grasse in orginal condition with two funnels. UK port of call had moved to Southampton when this card was issued.
 
 
 
Postcard of De Grasse in orginal condition.
 
 
 
Postcard of De Grasse in orginal condition.
 
 
 
De Grasse reappeared with only one funnel when refitted in 1947. This is a USA printed card.
"The Longest Gangplank in the World".
 
 
 
Unidentified French postcard of De Grasse creating impressive smoke effects.
 
 
 
This is a CGT official card (printed Estel of Paris - serial 6103) of De Grasse.
 
 
 
This is a CGT official postcard of De Grasse.
 
 
 
Postcard of De Grasse.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Empress of Australia
(Canadian Pacific: 1953-56)
 
De Grasse was sold to Canadian Pacific Lines in 1953 to replace the Empress of Canada which was destroyed by fire in Liverpool in january 1953. De Grasse was renamed Empress of Australia and operated on the Liverpool-Montreal route.
 
 
Canadian Pacific official sepia card of Empress of Australia.
 
 
 
A superb Canadian Pacific official colour art card of Empress of Australia.
The card was posted from Quebec to the UK in 1955.
 
 
 
Plastichrome colour postcard P12880 of Empress of Australia at Montreal.
The card was posted from Montreal to the UK in 1962.
 
 
 
Photographic postcard of Empress of Australia.
 
 
 
Photographic postcard of Empress of Australia.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Venezuela
(Grimaldi-SIOSA:1956-62)
 
The Empress of Australia was bought by Grimaldi-SIOSA in 1956. Following rebuilding for their Italy-West Indies-Venezuela service, her passenger capacity increased from 664 to nearly 1500. Venezuela was lost in 1962, off Cannes.
 
 
This is a Fratelli Grimaldi - Sicula Oceanica S.A. postcard.
 
 
 
A later Grimaldi-SIOSA card of Venezuela, showing the raked bow given in 1960.
 
 
 
A further Grimaldi-SIOSA card of Venezuela, showing the raked bow given in 1960.
Thanks to Artura Braam for the scans.
A full career history of this ship is available on this link.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
French Line 1914-30 - Canadian Pacific Line - Grimaldi-SIOSA Line
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