I te 24 o Akuhata 1939, i whakauruhia ia ki te ratonga moana ka hurihia hei Armed Merchant Cruiser. I whakakahahia ki te 8 x 6-inihi (152mm) me te 2 x 3-inihi (76mm) nga pu moana, ka riro ia hei HMS "Ascania" me te nama pennant F68. I rere ia me te Halifax Escort Force a muri ake me te North Atlantic Escort Force i runga i te mahi tiaki waka. Mai i Whiringa-a-rangi 1941 ki Hepetema 1942 i tukuna ia ki te teihana o Aotearoa. I te Oketopa 1942, i whakahokia ia ki te UK, a i whakamahia hei Troopship e te Manatū o War Transport. I te tau e whai ake nei, ka whakarerekehia a "Ascania" ki te Rererangi Rererangi Rererangi me te whakauru ki te whakaekenga o Sicily i te 1943, me nga Anzio Landings me
ngā taunga ki te tonga o Wīwī i te tau 1944.