This post is one of a continuing series to showcase some of the special objects we have in the Holyhead Maritime Museum’s collection.
This plate below was removed from the ‘Princess Maud’ in September 1965 prior to her leaving Holyhead and subsequently given to the museum for safe keeping.
Many who found themselves stepping on board the ‘Princess Maud’, either at Dun Laoghaire or Holyhead to cross the Irish Sea between 1946 and 1965 would probably have taken some time to study the weather and maybe be concerned about the possibility of a rough crossing. Built in 1934 at Dumbarton, with a capacity for almost 1,500 passengers, her draft was relatively shallow and she had no stabalisers. In rough seas she was known to ‘pitch and roll’, all at the same time, making for a very uncomfortable crossing. Subsequently many potential passengers refused to sail on her.
Despite her characteristics she served with distinction during WW2, some detail of which was recorded on a large brass plate displayed on the promenade deck. Those who studied the inscription might have been very surprised to read of the extent of the wartime exploits of this little ship.
After firstly assisting in the transport of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to France in 1939, the ‘Princess Maud’ later took an important role in the evacuation at Dunkirk. It is believed that she was the last ship to leave the Dunkirk Mole on 4th June 1940, rescuing under fire over 2,200 British and French Army and Naval personnel. She then evacuated 600 British and 400 French troops from St Valery-en-Caux and later in the month a further 2,500 troops from St Malo.
Returning for a short time to her usual route ferrying troops between Ireland and Scotland, she was then sent to Merseyside in 1943 for conversion to a troop landing ship in preparation for the allied invasion of Europe. On the evening of 5th June 1944 ‘Princess Maud’ set off for Omaha Beach in Normandy carrying several hundred American troops, mainly demolition engineers, who were to land ahead of the main D-Day assault force to clear obstacles from the beaches. For this the ‘Maud’ was equipped to carry six Landing Craft slung three each side of her main deck.
Having completed this hazardous work the ‘Maud’ then joined the Landing Ship Shuttle Service transporting troops to the beaches of Normandy. She was the first allied vessel to enter Ostend. Later she also began transporting troops returning home on leave from Calais to Dover.
At the end of the war ‘Princess Maud’ resumed her duties on the Stranraer route until 1946 when she moved to the Holyhead – Dun Laoghaire crossing to replace the Holyhead ship ‘Scotia’ lost at Dunkirk. Here she was employed mainly as the ‘spare’ or ‘third’ ship, relieving any passenger overload from the Mail Boats, ‘MV Hibernia’ and ‘MV Cambria’.
It is estimated that throughout the period of the war the ‘Princess Maud’ transported 1,360,870 troops.
In September 1965, the ‘Princess Maud’ left Holyhead after almost 20 years service. One of the Marine Yard fitters sounded the ‘Last Post’ on his bugle as she left the harbour for the last time. Bought by a Greek shipping company for the Mediterranean, she was renamed the ‘Venus’. She ended her days as an accommodation vessel under the name ‘Nybo’ in Copenhagen before being broken up in Spain in 1973.
Contributed by the Editor
The photograph of the ‘Princess Maud’ converted to an Infantry Landing Ship is from the book – ‘Short Sea:Long War’ by John de S Winser.
The photograph of ‘Princess Maud’ leaving Holyhead is included by kind permission of Paul Martin of the ‘Old Holyhead’ Facebook Page.
© Holyhead Maritime Museum
This series of posts is to showcase items from the museum’s collection and to support the ‘Ports, Past and Present’ project that features and promotes five ports of the Irish Sea connecting Wales with Ireland – Rosslare, Dublin Port, Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke. More information here – https://portspastpresent.eu/
Holyhead: Stories of a Port 
Even though I didn’t have the pleasure of sailing on the Princess Maud ??
I do have fond memories of seeing her docked and sailing in and out of Holyhead in the 1960’s along with the Cambria and Hibernia whilst catching a train from the station or whilst fishing off the breakwater. It was always a pleasure watching these vessels coming in and out of Holyhead.
Very interesting to know about Princess Mauds exploits during WW2 what an amazing little ship and crew.
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Remember Princess Maud brass plate with a bullet impression on it
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This is an exemplary piece of writing from Barry and I’m certainly not alone in thanking him warmly for reminding us of the ‘Maud’ and her long and fascinating history. The article shows clearly that ‘Ports, Past and Present’ isn’t really about ports. It’s about ships and their passengers and their builders and their shore staff and, most importantly, it’s about the crews who worked them and how services were maintained under the most trying of conditions. This is an important contribution to our understanding of those ships and their associated personnel.
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The princess Maud sailed on and out of Waterford replaceing the Great Western at various times
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Just after my 16th birthday in 1956, I joined the Princess Maud straight from the Anglesey training ship where I had been a pupil for the previous 2 years. My sea duty was on the bridge recording bearings and times en route to Dun Laoghaire and occasionally, on the Fishguard Waterford route.
I spent many years at sea on various size ships travelling all over the world but my initiation on the “Maud” to my marine career is deep routed in my memory.
Crew members would swear she could roll and pitch in damp grass. During my later years at sea, whilst routing the Western Ocean I endured 2 occasions transiting hurricanes which brought back memories of the “Maud”
When I joined her, almost all the crew, apart from myself and the radio operator were Welsh Holyhead residents and all spoke in their native Welsh tongue. Many of the crew encouraged me to learn Welsh which, try as I might I only learnt a few short phrases and sentences.
The chief officer (mate) served as a submariner commander in WW2 and following some difficult wartime experiences, spent some time in a mental institution. His favourite saying was that he was the only member of crew who could prove he was sane having his institution discharge certificate.
Of the numerous ships I have sailed in, the TSS Princess Maud will always hold my fondest memories.
David Mullins (now aged 80 )
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My twin brother and I sailed on the Princess Maud with our mother, from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead in 1949, when we came across from Ireland to live in England. We were just 4 years old. I am now nearly 76 and just know it was called the Maud and interested to know its’ background. Thanks, John Byrne
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My (American) father landed the combined Army/Navy demolition troops from this ship aboard his LCM onto Omaha Beach.
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Princess Maud sailed on the Waterford/Fishguard run as a spare also, replacingThe Great Western from time to time. I remember seeing her ( late 40s early50s I think) passing by Cheekpoint on the Suir. Estuary to the Atlantic at Dunmore East.
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