Which Cunard ocean liner entered service in 1946 after serving as a World War II troopship?

RMS Queen Elizabeth entered Cunard service in 1946 after serving as a World War II troopship.

The liner was launched in 1938, but the outbreak of war delayed her planned passenger service. During the conflict, she transported military personnel, making use of her size and speed. After the war, she was refitted for civilian travel and entered regular passenger service in October 1946.

Queen Elizabeth was the sister ship of RMS Queen Mary. Together, the two liners formed the core of Cunard’s express service between Southampton and New York, carrying passengers across the Atlantic in a period when ocean liners were still central to intercontinental travel.

The ship should not be confused with the later Queen Elizabeth 2 or the modern Queen Elizabeth cruise ship. The original RMS Queen Elizabeth was retired in 1968 and was later destroyed by fire in Hong Kong in 1972.