Κορβέτες ως επιβατηγά [Corvettes as Passenger Ships]

[Nicholas Peppas]

Royal Navy Ships (Corvettes, Frigates, Patrol boats, Minesweepers) as Early Post-War Passenger Ships in Greece

I am opening here a new thread to discuss briefly a large number of now forgotten. make-shift passenger ships that ... graced the Greek seas from 1945 to 1948 and provided travel opportunities when there was nothing better. Most of these ships have been forgotten (see schedules below) but some (Despoina, Cadio, Teti, etc) went on to become legendary and often beloved Greek passenger ships.

Greek Passenger Ship Losses During World War II

At the end of World War II, Greece found itself with a destroyed infrastructure both in railways and roads, in bridges and ships. Indeed in September 1944 only a fraction of the Greek passenger ships had remained still available and useful for passenger traffic

A. Tzamtzis (I Elliniki Epivatigos Nautilia, Miletus, Athens, 2002?) indicates that on August 31, 1939 there were 55 coastal passenger ship of 49,995 tons. Almost six years later, on March 31, 1945 there were just 3 ships (Corinthia, Elena, and Korytsa (Mary M)*** ) left of 6,320 tons. Lost during the war were:
Aetos, Aghios Georghios, Akropolis,
Alberta http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=60932,
Andros http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=58278,
Ardena http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=63545,
Athina S. http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=59859,
Athinai,
Attiki http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=64288,
Aulis http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=64571,
Aura (Mana) http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=64521,
Chios, Costas, Elli, Ellinis, Elsi,
Elvira http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=57224,
Esperos,
Frinton http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=59028,
Fokion http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=57270,
Hellas http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=61454,
Hydra http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=64521,
Ionia, Ithaki,
Kalydon http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=56371,
Kefallinia http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=54785,
Kerkyra http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=57436,
Kriti,
Leon http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=56952,
Leukas http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=64925,
Makedonia, Milos, Moschanthi (the first one), Nausica, Nikolaos L, Patris,
Petros http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=57229,
Pteroti http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=64521,
Pylaros http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=55565,
Samos http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=60339,
Sifnos, Sokratis,
Sofia http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=61052,
Soultana, http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=57229,
Tassos http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=23166,
Thraki, Zakynthos.

Post-World War II Needs in Coastal Shipping (Aktoploia)

Thus, immediately after World War II, the Greek shipowners and the Greek Government found itself in a major dilemma. How could they afford to start shipping connections in a country where mines were everywhere in the Aegaean and the Ionian and in the Evoikos, Maliakos and Korinthiakos gulfs?

The solution was given by the Greek Government that started purchasing old passenger ships from Germany and Italy. These ships had been either given to Greece as reparations or were obtained via Great Britain and the allies. Most of these ships were still serviceable but very old. Three good examples were:
the 1905 Heimara (former Hertha, http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=63535 ),
the 1901 Chalkidiki (former Kehrwieder http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=65172) and
the 1889 Messaria (former Polhem http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=63535).
These ships were bought for use for about 5 or so years, until the Greek shipping enterprise was back on its feet. Some others were old British yachts or other ships that could be easily converted. Such were:
the 1898 Kalamara (former Cala Mara http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=65272),
the 1904 Thessalia (former Beryl, later Glaros http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=58524) ,
the 1899 Lucinda (former Shemara http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=62168)
and many others.

But the most important source of new ships came from the British and American Governments in the former of surplus corvettes, frigates, patrol ships, mine sweepers and even landing vessels. These were not old vessels, but ships that have been built rather rapidly in 1939-42 for the needs of the World War II. Many of these were given to the Greek Government with a small recompense.

In his book with memories from his life as well as that of his father, Alexandros, Konstantinos Filippou, a noted naval architect (1930- ) describes very nicely these purchases (K. Filippou, Diadromi enos aiona, J&J Hellas, Piraeus, 2007)

Comments on corvettes by K. Filippou.jpg


*** This third ship was added after an additional comment from Ellinis (see below)