Partition of India potential for increased violence, the new viceroy, Louis Mountbatten, advanced the date for the transfer of power, allowing less than six months for a mutually agreed plan for independence. In June 1947, the nationalist leaders, including Nehru and Abul Kalam Azad on behalf of the Congress, Jinnah representing the Muslim League, B. R. Ambedkar representing the Untouchable community, and Master Tara Singh representing the Sikhs, agreed to a partition of the country along religious lines in stark opposition to Gandhi's views. The predominantly Hindu and Sikh areas were assigned to the new India and predominantly Muslim areas to the new
RMS Viceroy of India 279 passengers were transferred to "Viceroy of India" as a precaution. On 12 November 1940 the Ministry of War Transport requisitioned "Viceroy of India" to be a troop ship. She returned to the River Clyde for the conversion. In 1942 "Viceroy of India" sailed in Convoy KMF-1A carrying Allied troops from Britain to invade French North Africa in Operation Torch. Early on 11 November 1942 she was returning empty from Algiers bound for Gibraltar. At 0524 hrs she was about northwest of Oran when fired a spread of four torpedoes at her. Two hit the ship, killing four crew members.