The British steamer Caledonia outward-bound for New York

The Anchor Line's fleet boasted six successive steamers named Caledonia, the third of which was built by D. & W. Henderson at Glasgow and launched on 22nd October 1904. Registered at 9,223 tons gross (5,066 net), she measured 500 feet in length with a 58 foot beam and was engined by her builders. A twin-screw steamer, she could make 18 knots at full speed despite her design speed of 16½, and had extensive accommodation for 383 1st, 216 2nd and 869 3rd class passengers. Entering service in March 1905, on the company's most prestigious Glasgow to New York route, she began her career as the toast of her owners' extensive fleet and enjoyed nine years of profitable operations until the outbreak of the Great War.

When she docked in Glasgow on 2nd August 1914 - two days before the formal declaration of War - she was commandeered as a troopship and licensed to carry 3,074 troops and 212 horses. On 8th August she sailed for France via Dublin and, after disembarking her human cargo for the front, went on to Bombay where she was used to convey Indian troops to the Mediterranean. After several changes of route, she left Devonport on 11th September 1916, bound for Alexandria. Having landed her troops at Marseilles, she then made for Malta where she was to refit but was torpedoed and sunk by U-65 on 4th December, 125 miles short of her destination.