Asturian-American Migration Forum

On the Wikipedia internet site, there are the stories of two ships that were built in Belfast Ireland and were named after the Principality of Asturias. The RMS Asturias was an ocean mail liner that was converted into an armed merchant cruiser during World War II and was torpedoed in 1943; however, it still sailed until it was scrapped in 1957.

The HMHS Asturias was a royal mail packet ship built in 1908 and during World War I was converted into a hospital ship. It was finally scrapped in Japan in 1933.

These stories are interesting, and have made me wonder why these British ships were named after Asturias?

Hi Manuell,

The Principe of Asturias was built in the shipyards of Kingston, England, by the Russell Co but the owner was a Spanish shipping company, the Naviera Pinillos. I suppose the name was given by the owner company not by the builder.

In this link, there is an interesting history and the mystery about this liner, along with wonderful pictures.

https://www.fordivers.com/en/blog/2013/ ... de-bucear/

Hi, Marta,

Thank you for posting the information and photos of the Principe de Asturias. The sinking was quite a tragedy and loss of life. It split apart and the passengers and crew below deck had no chance of survival.

There was also an aircraft carrier in the Spanish Navy named the Principe of Asturias which was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 2013. On the internet there is a photo of the carrier participating in NATO exercises with two US and one British carrier. I am not sure if it has been replaced with another ship named after the Principality.

Manuell