SS Westernland
Red Star Line · 1918 (as Regina) · Ship Guide
Overview
SS Westernland of the Red Star Line was originally built in 1918 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast as the liner Regina for Dominion Line service. After wartime and immediate postwar employment under British control, she was transferred in 1929 to the Belgian-owned Red Star Line and renamed Westernland.
In her Red Star identity, she operated primarily on the Antwerp–New York route during a challenging interwar period marked by economic instability and fluctuating migration patterns. Like many liners of her generation, her documentary footprint reflects both classic passenger-liner material and later Depression-era adjustments.
Evidence-first note: this vessel began life as Regina. Pre-1929 material bearing that name does not belong to her Red Star phase. Additionally, “Westernland” had earlier use within Red Star Line history (notably an 1870s vessel). Confirm the build era (1918), Harland & Wolff origin, or printed sailing dates before final attribution.
Key Facts
Design & Context
Built at the close of World War I, Regina (later Westernland) represented a transitional type: large, turbine-powered, and structurally robust, yet designed before the full flowering of late-1920s Art Deco liner aesthetics. Her interiors were practical rather than extravagantly modern, reflecting the economic uncertainties of the postwar period.
When she entered Red Star Line service in 1929, she did so during a period of contraction in Atlantic passenger trade. Collectors will notice that late Red Star Line print culture sometimes reflects cost-conscious design compared to earlier prestige years.
Service History (Summary)
1918–1929: As Regina. Built in Belfast and initially associated with Dominion Line operations, later under Cunard control, she served on North Atlantic routes during the immediate postwar years.
1929–1934: Red Star Line service. Transferred to Red Star Line and renamed Westernland, she operated Antwerp–New York sailings. This period produced the bulk of identifiable Red Star Line ephemera bearing her name.
Mid-1930s: Management changes. With Red Star Line’s decline and eventual absorption into larger shipping interests, the vessel passed through British management and was employed on various services.
1942: Loss. While operating under British auspices during World War II, she was torpedoed and sunk off Greenland in 1942.
Interpretive Notes
For collectors, this ship presents three cataloging categories: (1) Regina-era material (1918–1929), (2) Red Star Line Westernland material (1929–early 1930s), and (3) wartime documentation.
High-confidence Red Star attribution typically requires printed ship name and Antwerp–New York routing. Company-only “Red Star Line” pieces without ship name should not automatically be assigned to Westernland.
Practical tip: check the typography. Late-1920s Red Star Line materials often feature distinctive Belgian-influenced graphic styles; earlier Dominion Line Regina material differs in branding language.
Evidence-first ship guideSources (Selected)