British and French passengers ships Queen Mary and Normandie laid up at New York, USA according to a report of the American Naval Attaché at Berlin, Germany Nr. R562 dated 15 September 1939

Diary note dated Sunday 10 September 1939. An item reported that the French passenger ship Normandie (1) and the British passenger ship Queen Mary (2) were laid up at New York, USA with skelton crews. The main part of their crews returned home with other ships. The German press reported fighting between the French and British sailors, the first accusing the latter of dragging them into the war.

Notes

1. Laid down by Chantiers de Penhoet, Saint-Nazaire, France on 26 January 1931, launched on 29 October 1932, completed in 1933, maiden voyage started on 29 May 1935, taken over by the USA on 20 December 1941, was to become a troop transport (earlier proposed conversion into an aircraft carrier) and renamed USS Lafayette, caught fire on 9 February and capsized on 10 February 1942 and broken up between October 1946-31 December 1948.

2. Ordred on 3 April 1929, laid down by John Brow&Company, Clydebank, Scotland with yard number 534 on 1 December 1930, launched on 26 September 1934, maiden voyage started on 27 May 1936, converted at Sydeny, Australia into a trop transport in 1940, out of service on 9 December 1967 and became floating hotel/museum ship.

Source

National Archives. FDR Presidential Library&Museum Roosevelt PSFC000175. War diary Naval Attaché Berlin, volume 1 (1 September 1939-26 May 1940)