From Gibraltar convoys to Operation Torch

The two ships joined Gibraltar convoys, operated off Algiers and Oran, and formed part of Operation Torch's Central Task Force. The force's famous battleships, carriers, cruisers, and destroyers could cover the operation, while converted liners, ferries, and tankers carried the landing force. Princess Beatrix and Queen Emma were later detailed for the captures of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, followed by planned landings at Sabang and Penang in Southeast Asia. Their worldwide career shows how merchant losses reduced ordinary transport capacity and the supply of hulls available for conversion into specialized assault shipping.