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Red Star Line
This is the first of two pages devoted to postcards and photographs of the Red Star Line.
An alphabetical list of ships
shown on this page is shown below.
The Table
beneath gives links to complete history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table is a
Fleet List
in chronological order. A selection of
Red Star Advertising Postcards
&
Red Star Menu Cards
of is also available.
International Navigation Company (INCo), was founded in Philadelphia in 1871. In 1872, a Belgian subsidiary named Societe Anonyme de Navigation Belge-Americaine was formed at Antwerp. They initiated a weekly service in 1873 between Philadelphia and Antwerp, which was marketed as the Red Star Line. Although Belgian-based, the ownership was predominantly American. In 1884, INCo acquired the American Line, followed in 1886 by the Inman Line. All three INCo companies adopted the same black funnels with a white band. Red Star services were later extended to New York, calling at Southampton and Cherbourg (later replaced by Le Havre). Services were also operated to Canada.
In 1902, the International Navigation Company (INCo) was renamed the International Mercantile Marine Company (IMMCo), which proceeded to purchase majority share holdings in the
Atlantic Transport Line
, Dominion Line, Leyland Line and, most importantly, the
White Star Line
. Ships were regularly transferred between the various fleets in the group, with the
White Star Line
tending to get the latest, largest and best examples. Although American-owned, many IMMCo fleets ran under the British flag for economic reasons, including the Red Star Line. Red Star operations declined throughout the late 1920s, and ceased in 1934 in the depression. The name lived on for a further two years when the
Pennland (2)
and
Westernland (2)
were bought by Hamburg shipowner Arnold Bernstein. He ran them under the German flag as Bernstein's Red Star line, although publicity material still referred just to the Red Star Line. Two Bernstein ships, the
Gerolstein
and
Ilsenstein
, also ran under Red Star colours. This venture was terminated only two years later when Bernstein was arrested by the Nazis.
Red Star Sections:-
Red Star Fleet List
- This Page
Red Star Advertising Postcards
- Red Star issued numerous advertising cards
- Opens New Page
Red Star Menu Cards
- A selection of 1908 menu cards
- New Page!
Ships on This Page:-
Arabic
(1926-1929 - 16,786 gt)
Belgenland (2)
(1914-1917, 1923-1935 - 27132 gt)
Finland
(1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
Friesland
(1889-1911 - 7,116 gt)
Gerolstein
Gothland
(1908-1911, 1913-1925 - 7,755 gt) - Built 1893 ex-Gothic of White Star Line
Ilsenstein
Kensington
(1895-1903 - 8,669 gt)
Kroonland
(1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
Lapland
(1908-1933 - 17,540 gt)
Marquette
(1905-1914 - 7,057 gt)
Monominee
(1905-1914 - 6,919 gt)
Minnetonka
(1932-1933 - 21,998 gt)
Minnewaska
(1932-1933 - 21,716 gt)
Nordland
(1884-1908 - 5,212 gt)
Northland
(1915-1919 - 11,905 gt) - ex-Zeeland, later reverted to Zeeland
Pennland (1)
(1882-1903 - 3,428 gt) - Built 1870, ex-Algeria of Cunard Line
Pennland (2)
(1926-1935) - ex-Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
(1925-1926 - 16,322 gt) - later Pennland
Samland (1906-1911, 1913-1931 - 7,913 gt) - Built 1903, ex-Mississippi, later Belgic of White Star Line
Southland
(1915-1917 - 11,899 gt) - ex-Vaderland (2)
Southwark
(1895-1903 - 8,607 gt)
Vaderland (2)
(1900-1915 - 11,899 gt) - later Southland
Westernland (1)
(1883 1912- 5,736 gt)
Westernland (2)
(1930-1935 - 16,314 gt)
Zeeland (2
) (1901-1915, 1919-1927 - 11,905 gt) - later Northland, reverted to Zeeland
Associated Pages:-
Red Star - Page 1
- This Page
Red Star - Page 2
Atlantic Transport Line
White Star Line
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
References:-
www.history.navy.mil
- Naval Historical Center
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Red Star Line Fleet List
Pennland (1)
(1882-1903 - 3,428 gt)
Built 1870, ex-
Algeria
of
Cunard Line
.
Steerage passengers on board
Pennland (1).
Westernland (1)
(1883 1912- 5,736 gt)
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Westernland (1).
Postcard of
Westernland (1).
Nordland
(1884-1908 - 5,212 gt)
Postcard of
Nordland.
Friesland
(1889-1911 - 7,116 gt)
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Friesland.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Friesland.
Kensington
(1895-1903 - 8,669 gt)
Built 1893 - chartered from American Line (another IMMCo company) between 1895-1903.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Kensington.
Official Red Star Line postcard covering both
Kensington
and
Southwark
.
Southwark
(1895-1903 - 8,607 gt)
Built 1893 - chartered from American Line (another IMMCo company) between 1895-1903.
Official Red Star Line postcard covering both
Southwark
and
Kensington
.
Zeeland (2)
(1901-1915, 1919-1927 - 11,905 gt)
Northland
(1915-1919)
Zeeland (2)
was built for Red Star Line in 1901. Between 1915-1919 she was named
Northland
, before reverting to
Zeeland
. Between 1910-1911 and 1914-1920,
Zeeland (2)
operated with fellow IMMCo company
White Star Line
. In 1927 she was sold to
Atlantic Transport Line
(yet another IMMCo company) as the
Minnesota (3)
, but was scrapped only two years later in 1929.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Zeeland (2)
.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Zeeland (2)
.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Zeeland (2)
.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Zeeland (2)
.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Zeeland (2)
.
Colour postcard of
Zeeland (2)
.
Postcard as
Northland
.
Photographic postcard of
Zeeland (2)
.
White extended one deck lower.
Official
Atlantic Transport Line
postcard of
Minnesota (3)
.
Vaderland (2)
(1900-1915 - 11,899 gt)
Southland
(1915-1917)
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Vaderland (2)
.
Postcard of
Vaderland (2)
.
Postcard of
Vaderland (2)
.
Finland
(1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Finland
.
Antwerp-published
postcard of
Finland
.
Antwerp-published
postcard of
Finland
.
Antwerp-published
postcard of
Finland
.
Kroonland
(1902-1923 - 12,760 gt)
Kroonland
was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1902, she was operated commercially for the next fifteen years, mainly trading between New York and Antwerp, Belgium, until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. In 1915 she transited the Panama Canal to the Pacific, and in 1916 began service between the United States and Great Britain. On 20 May 1917, some weeks after the U.S. had entered the conflict,
Kroonland
was en-route to Liverpool when she was damaged by a German submarine's torpedo. Following repairs, the ship returned to service. She was formally taken over by the U.S. Army in February 1918 and made one round-trip voyage to France between then and early April.
Transferred to the U.S.Navy later in that month, she was placed in commission as
USS Kroonland
(ID # 1541). Five more round-trip voyages, carrying American troops to France, were made before the 11 November 1918 Armistice ended the fighting. On 10 July 1918 she had an encounter with an enemy U-Boat, but emerged unhurt and may have damaged the submarine with gunfire. After the Armistice
Kroonland
began bringing veterans home from the former war zone, work that continued until September 1919. She was decommissioned at the beginning of October 1919 and returned to her owner. The steamer resumed commercial operations in 1920, initially between the U.S. and Europe and, after 1923, between the East and West Coasts by way of the Panama Canal.
Kroonland
was scrapped in 1927.
Military history from
www.history.navy.mil
where there are more images of the crew etc.
Official Red Star Line postcard of
Kroonland.
Antwerp-published postcard of
Kroonland.
Postcard of
USS
Kroonland
at Hoboken, when in use as a troopship.
The image as printed (left) is reversed, corrected on the right hand image below.
Postcard of
USS
Kroonland
in camouflage,
when in use as a troopship.
Scan:
www.history.navy.mil