RMS Queen Mary, Aquitania, Empress of Canada, and Empress of Britain Arrive in the River Clyde With Troops

During World War II, four major ocean liners—RMS Queen Mary, RMS Aquitania, RMS Empress of Canada, and RMS Empress of Britain—arrived in the River Clyde, Scotland, carrying the first large contingent of Australian and New Zealand troops (ANZACs) to Britain.

This occurred in early 1940, part of Operation Stepsister, the codename for the transfer of the Second Australian Imperial Force and New Zealand Expeditionary Force to the European theatre.

Key details:

- These passenger liners were repurposed as troopships, part of a vast wartime convoy system.
- The Clyde was chosen as a safe arrival point due to its relative protection from German U-boats.
- The event marked a major logistical success, demonstrating how the Allies could leverage commercial vessels for military transport.
- These ANZAC forces would later take part in campaigns in North Africa, Greece, Crete, and later in Italy and the Pacific.

The moment symbolized international Allied solidarity, with forces from across the world coming together for the war effort.