433 Squadron (RCAF) 6 Group Skipton-on-Swale 1944-1945

Ile de France in her wartime livery

The Ile de France was built in 1927, and was the finest example of an ocean liner at the time, however the conversion to a troop ship was so rough on the grand old lady that the first troops exposed to the her transportation threatened to mutiny. Peter Plowman in his excellent book, Across the Seas to War writes about the conversion of Ile de France into a troop ship in 1940 in Singapore where it was converted to hold 4300 men, most in hammocks below in conditions which were described as "dungeons", prompting the near mutiny which is described so eloquently in the excellent but rare book.

Both food and accommodations must have subsequently improved, as Cameron Clare Campbell notes a fine trip home in his journal.