[1] In 1939 Clan Campbell sailed home with Convoy HG 5, which left Gibraltar on 29 October and reached UK ports on 6 November.

[5] Later that year she joined Convoy AP 3/1 to Suez in Egypt, which left Liverpool on 10 September, sailed via the Cape of Good Hope and Durban in South Africa.

Therefore, in 1941 they were among the merchant ships chosen to help relieve the Siege of Malta and British and Empire forces in Egypt.

[9] The convoy continued to Freetown in Sierra Leone, but the three Camerons and two other cargo ships, Empire Song and New Zealand Star left en route and put into Gibraltar.

[10] Empire Song was owned by the Ministry of War Transport but, like the three Clan Liners, was managed by Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd. On 9 May she was sunk by a mine off Malta,[11] but New Zealand Star and the three Camerons safely delivered their cargos, including over 200 Matilda II and Crusader tanks to Alexandria.

On 20 March Clan Campbell again left Alexandria for Malta, this time as one of four cargo ships with Convoy MW 10.

On 22 March four Italian cruisers tried to intercept the convoy but the Royal Navy escorts drove them off in a short engagement.