700-014 HMS PRINCESS BEATRIX

HMS Princeps Beatrix (MS Prinses Beatrix) was originally a Dutch passenger ship that had been adapted to carry the army. The keel for the vessel was laid in May 1938, and the launch took place in March 1939. The total length at the time of launching was 120 m, width 14 m, with a displacement of 2,100 tons (NRT). In turn, the maximum speed was up to 24-25 knots. The ship's armament in the service of the Royal Navy included, among others: 2 76 mm guns, 2 40 mm guns and 4 20 mm Hotchkiss cannons. MS Prinses Beatrix was originally built for one of the Dutch shipping lines to operate the sea connection between the cities of Flushing and Harwich. At the time of the German invasion in May 1940, the vessel managed to leave the port and flee to Great Britain, where it was taken (chartered) by the British shortly after, although it was still operated by its Dutch crew, and a small branch of the Dutch still remained on board. Marine Corps (Eng. Dutch Marine). HMS Princeps Beatrix took part in the evacuation of the Allied forces from Dunkirk, and later took part in the Lofoten Raid (1941) and the Dieppe Raid (1942). After a minor reconstruction, it also took an active part in landing operations in North Africa (Operation Torch, 1942), Sicily and Salerno in 1943, as well as in southern France in 1944. The ship survived the war and after 1945 returned to the Netherlands, where she served in civil shipping until 1969.