▁World ▁War ▁II ▁tro op ship . ▁She ▁was ▁s unk ▁by ▁an ▁Italian ▁sub marine ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁Pre - war ▁career ▁Or ons ay ▁was ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁Orient ▁Ste am ▁Navigation ▁Company ▁on ▁C ly de bank ▁and ▁was ▁launched ▁by ▁Vis count ess ▁Nov ar ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁ ▁Her ▁ma iden ▁voyage ▁started ▁on ▁ 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁from ▁London ▁to ▁Melbourne , ▁Sydney ▁and ▁Br is b ane . ▁She ▁continued ▁on ▁this ▁route ▁( ext ended ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁once ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 ) ▁until ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁Australian ▁military ▁cont ing ent ▁for ▁the ▁coron ation ▁of ▁King ▁George ▁VI ▁and ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁took ▁passage ▁to ▁the ▁UK ▁on ▁the ▁Or ons ay ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁W art ime ▁service ▁▁ ▁T aken ▁up ▁from ▁trade ▁as ▁a ▁tro op ship , ▁Or ons ay ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Camp aign , ▁including ▁Operation ▁Al phabet , ▁the ▁secret ▁ev acu ation ▁of ▁Nar vik ▁on ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁Al most ▁immediately ▁afterwards , ▁she ▁participated ▁in ▁Operation ▁A riel , ▁the ▁ev acu ation ▁of ▁British ▁troops ▁from ▁western ▁France . ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁she ▁was ▁anch ored ▁in ▁the ▁Lo ire ▁Est u ary , ▁emb ark ing ▁troops ▁being ▁fer