TSS Canterbury was a ferry completed in 1929 to link the Golden Arrow and La Flèche d'Or trains to form the prestige London–Dover–Calais–Paris service.

[2] The ship was built as first class only passenger ferry by William Denny & Bros of Dumbarton, Scotland for the Southern Railway.

[2] On 29 May 1940 after departing the east pier at Dunkirk at 16:50 with 1960 troops Canterbury was badly damaged by a bomb near miss but was able to reach Dover.

[2][4] She then performed some sailings from Southampton evacuations to Normandy and Brittany until the middle of June before resting on the River Dart and serving as a target practice ship of the Fleet Air Arm and a period on the Stranraer–Larne route.

[1][4] Postwar, she initially returned to the Golden Arrow service, but was replaced in October 1946 by the Southern Railways flagship SS Invicta following that ship's refurbishment.