[1][2] Cammell, Laird & Co built Vasilefs Constantinos in Birkenhead on the River Mersey as yard number 800.

[2] The National Steam Navigation Company registered Vasilefs Constantinos on the Aegean island of Andros.

[5] On the afternoon of 28 May US authorities held her for four hours at a quarantine station outside New York because she had a case of suspected typhus aboard.

Thousands of Hellenic Army reservists living in the USA sought to travel to Greece to join the mobilisation.

[10] On 6 August 1916 Vasilefs Constantinos reached Jersey City carrying 1,991 passengers, most of whom were immigrants from Greece or refugees from the Central Powers' invasion and occupation of Serbia.

[3] In 1919 the ship was renamed Megali Hellas, which is the Greek name for Magna Graecia in Sicily and southern Italy.

[14] One source states that Megali Hellas resumed service on her route between Piraeus and New York via Patras and Naples on 12 October 1919.

[17] On 1 October 1921 Megali Hellas reached New York carrying 715 passengers, including 200 Greek brides-to-be who had traveled to marry men in the USA.

[5] In 1924 it transferred Megali Hellas to the new company, renamed her Byron, and changed her port of registration to London.

[20] On 12 January 1923 Byron started serving a revised route between Istanbul and New York via Piraeus, Patras and Marseille.

At about 0500 hrs, about 8 nautical miles (15 km) off Ambrose Channel, a fire was discovered in one of her cargo holds.

Byron's boilers and engines continued to work, and she reached the quarantine station under her own power, assisted by two tugs.

[6] In 1928 Byron returned to the direct ownership of the National Steam Navigation Company, which changed her port of registration back to Andros.