She was subsequently renamed in 1910 SS Royal George, and served as a troop ship for the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War.

Heliopolis was built in 1907 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Companyof Govan, Glasgow, Scotland and launched on 28 May 1907 for the British-owned Egyptian Mail Company.

She ran aground on 6 November 1912 attempting to put in at Quebec, but was salvaged and after repairs returned to service on 17 June 1913.

[4] Royal George was returned at the end of the war to Cunard Line, which in 1916 had bought the entire fleet of Canadian Northern Steamships.

After nine voyages with the Cunard Line, she was retired in 1920 and used as a depot ship at Cherbourg Harbour in France to process emigrants, before finally being scrapped in 1922 at Wilhelmshaven, Germany.