Editing SS Ceramic (section)

===Collision with ''Testbank''===
On 20 July 1940 ''Ceramic'' left Liverpool with [[List of Allied convoy codes during World War II#O|Convoy OB]] 186. This dispersed at sea two days later as scheduled.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ob2/index.html?ob.php?convoy=186!~obmain |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=Convoy OB.186 |work=OB Convoy Series |publisher=Don Kindell, ConvoyWeb |access-date=5 August 2014}}</ref>

In the South Atlantic in the small hours of 11 August 1940 the [[Bank Line]] cargo ship {{SS|Testbank||2}} sighted ''Ceramic'' about a mile and a half ahead. Under wartime navigation regulations both ships were sailing without navigation lights. ''Ceramic''{{'}}s lookout failed to see ''Testbank'' until the two ships were about {{convert|350|yd}} from each other. Both ships took avoiding action but were too late to avoid a collision.<ref name=Marsh>{{cite web |url= http://rapidttp.co.za/waratsea/testbank.html |last=Marsh |first=John H |title=British Freighter "Testbank" |work=South Africa and the War at Sea |publisher=Mike Marsh |access-date=5 August 2014}}</ref>

About 0200 hrs ''Testbank'' rammed ''Ceramic''{{'}}s starboard bow. The combined speed of the collision was about {{convert|25|kn|km/h}}. It shortened the cargo ship's bow by about {{convert|20|ft|0}} and opened a hole about {{convert|40|ft}} wide in the liner's Number One Hold, but both ships stayed afloat. ''Testbank''{{'}}s cargo was 9,000 tons of iron ore, which would have sunk her very quickly if she had shipped enough water. In the event she was able to return to Cape Town under her own power.<ref name=Marsh/>

As a precaution, ''Ceramic''{{'}}s 279 passengers were taken off and transferred by boats to the [[Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company|P&O]] liner {{RMS|Viceroy of India}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.poheritage.com/Upload/Mimsy/Media/factsheet/94879VICEROY-OF-INDIA-1929pdf.pdf |title=Viceroy of India (1929) |work=Fact Sheet |publisher=P&O Heritage |date=June 2009 |access-date=20 January 2021}}</ref> ''Ceramic'' reached [[Walvis Bay]] in [[South West Africa]] with the aid of a [[Tugboat|tug]] and escorted by a Royal Navy warship. She arrived on 16 August and stayed for emergency repairs until 24 September. She reached Cape Town on 27 September and stayed there for almost £50,000 worth of further repairs.<ref name=Marsh/> On 10 December ''Ceramic'' resumed her passage to Australia, reaching Sydney on 18 January 1941. Apart from a visit to [[Newcastle, New South Wales]] ''Ceramic'' stayed in Sydney until 21 March, when she left for home. She made her usual calls in South Africa at the end of April and reached Liverpool on 28 May.<ref name=Hague/>