Sophocles was built at the Harland & Wolff yard in Belfast.

In 1926, Sophocles and Diogenes were chartered by Shaw, Savill & Albion for the New Zealand trade.

The third class accommodation was greatly improved and both ships benefitted from conversion from coal burning to oil, which brought an increase in speed to 15 knots, for the cost of £70,000 each.

During World War II Tamaroa served as a troopship during the North African campaign.

At the end of hostilities, she was refitted for tourist class only and served on the UK-Panama Canal-New Zealand route until her scrapping in 1957.