SS Giulio Cesare

SS Giulio Cesare was a liner of the Navigazione Generale Italiana, which was later operated by the Italian Line. The ship was used to transport first class, second class, and tourist-class passengers.

SS Giulio Cesare
History
Italy
Name	SS Giulio Cesare
Namesake	Julius Caesar
Owner	1922-1932: Navigazione Generale Italiana 1932-1942: Italian Line 1942-1944: International Red Cross
Port of registry	Italy
Route	Italy-South America & Cruising
Ordered	1920
Builder	Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Ltd, Newcastle-on-Tyne
Launched	7 February 1920
Completed	March 1922
Maiden voyage	4 May 1922
Homeport	Genoa
Fate	Sunk by Allied air attack 28 August 1944
General characteristics
Type	Ocean liner
Tonnage	22,576 GRT
Length	636 ft (193.9 m)
Beam	76.15 ft (23.2 m)
Depth	66.3 ft (20.2 m)
Decks	4
Installed power	4 sets of geared steam turbines manufactured by Wallsend Slipway 6 boilers D.E. & four boilers S.E. creating 220lb of steam pressure by Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Company Ltd. Newcastle-on-Tyne 21,800 shp (16,300 kW)
Propulsion	4 × screw
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity	Total passengers: First Class: 244 Second Class: 306 Tourist Class:1800
Notes	Paintwork: White hull and upper works Boot-topping green Funnels white with red and black tops and narrow green band

Features

A feature of this ship was the Club situated on the boat-deck, with a bar. The ship also featured a saloon dining room, galleries, a ballroom, and other function rooms. Second class was situated amidships. Talkie apparatus were also fitted to the ship and a long-distance wireless telephone was also available. The tourist class accommodation was situated astern and also had several public rooms. The tourist passengers shared an open-air swimming pool with the 2nd class passengers.

Service history

The ship was used on Genoa-Naples-South America voyages but also served North American ports. Until 1925 the SS Giulio Cesare and the SS Duilio were the two largest ships in the Italian merchant fleet.

In November 1933, she was reconditioned and made ready to serve on the Mediterranean-South Africa Service. In 1935, she collided with the German steamship Barenfels in the harbour of Gibraltar. This collision was deemed to be the fault of the German steamship and the captain and crew were detained along with the ship.

In 1942, during the Second World War, SS Giulio Cesare was chartered to the International Red Cross for a time before being laid-up in the port of Trieste. SS Giulio Cesare was sunk by SAAF Beaufighters from No. 16 Squadron on 28 August 1944. Upon returning from their mission, the airmen who sank the ship were reprimanded as their commanders believed that they had sunk a hospital ship.

Gallery

• 
  First Class Outward Ticket Series B for S.S. Giulio Cesare sailing on 7 July 1923 from New York to Naples, Italy
• 
  Final rocket attack on 28 August 1944
• 
  The front of a Second Class Ticket for S.S. Giulio Cesare that sailed on 5 September 1925 from Naples, Italy to New York.
• 
  The back of a Second Class Ticket for S.S. Giulio Cesare that sailed on 5 September 1925 from Naples, Italy to New York.

External links

• Grace's Guide – Swan Hunter 1920