by the shipyard Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted, where Prins Olav had previously had modification work done. The new shape of Prins Olav included a single funnel, unlike the two she had had in her previous guise. While Prins Olav had featured two decks and a shelter deck prior to her rebuild, the rebuilt ship had an additional promenade deck and a cruiser stern. The rebuilt ship, the largest and grandest in Hurtigruten service at the time, bore little exterior resemblance to the original royal yacht. Prins Olav was considered the flagship of the Hurtigruten service. Some four months after completing her rebuild, Prins Olav ran aground off Brønnøysund in Nordland on 25 September 1937, having to be recovered by the salvage ship Traust. The ship's royal connection continued in Norway. King Haakon VII of Norway had visited the ship shortly after her rebuild, and in March 1938 she transported the King, her namesake Crown Prince Olav and numerous officials and skiers to the 1938 Norwegian Skiing Championship in Mo i Rana. Second World War The outbreak of the Second World War led to concerns in the Norwegian government with regards to the economy, and as a savings measure a decision to limit the Hurtigruten service from the ordinary seven sailings from Bergen a week to five was taken on 1 October 1939. After protests from the coastal population daily sailings were reintroduced on 5 December 1939. Norwegian Campaign When the Germans invaded Norway on 9 April 1940, Prins Olav was in the northern port of Harstad, having begun her north-bound route from Bergen on 1 April. Being in the part of Norway which initially avoided being occupied, Prins Olav was requisitioned to assist with the Norwegian mobilization effort. Serving as a troop ship from 11 April, she first transported Norwegian troops from the Lofoten region to Sørreisa in Troms, and later from Kirkenes in eastern Finnmark to Gratangen near the front lines at Narvik. In the latter mission Prins Olav transported two companies of the 1st battalion of Infantry Regiment 12, the rest of the battalion having been shipped out several days earlier on the Hurtigruten ships and Kong Haakon, and the steamer Hestmanden. For the last stretch of their voyage, on 17 April, the Norwegian transports were escorted by the Norwegian patrol boat Heimdal. After completing her troop carrying missions she was camouflaged with grey paint and hidden in a