Ships that you have served on that had WWII history

[Chris Isaac]

Warwick Castle launched 38, completed 1939, was requisitioned by the Admiralty as troop carrier.
1942 sold to the Admiralty and converted to an Aircraft Carrier by Swan Hunter.
After the war purchased by U. C. sent Harland & Wolff, Belfast and converted to a passenger ship and renamed WARWICK CASTLE.
Vic.

The vessel that became an aircraft carrier was built as Pretoria Castle.
In 1939 she was requisitioned by The Admiralty and converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser, in 1942 she was converted into an aircraft carrier.
As an AMC and Aircraft Carrier she sailed as HMS Pretoria Castle,
After the war she was returned to Union-Castle, refitted and renamed Warwick Castle
https://www.bandcstaffregister.com/page4779.html

The mail ship Warwick Castle was built in 1930 and was sunk in 1942 while serving on trooping duties.
https://www.bandcstaffregister.com/page4311.html

[Michael Foster]

Dear Roger, Sorry to have got the "Rogers" mixed up. Thank you for you comments. Yes, a peggies life with Fo'castle accomodation was not a lot of fun. I remember aluminium boxes with a sliding front panel which held about six plates of food vertically. There was certainly a challenge carrying two of these containers from the galley midships up the foredeck to the messroom at the 'sharp end'. Michael R683820

[happy daze john in oz]

The Windsor Castle was according to reports built in such a manner that she could be turned into an aircraft carrier should the need arise.

Chris, any truth in that bit if info?

[Chris Isaac]

I am not aware of this but after the conversion of Pretoria Castle in one I suspect that all that was needed was to remove the accommodation and refit the main deck and interior, could be done to almost any ship of sufficient size and adequate propulsion.

[Doc Vernon]

The vessel that became an aircraft carrier was built as Pretoria Castle.
In 1939 she was requisitioned by The Admiralty and converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser, in 1942 she was converted into an aircraft carrier.
As an AMC and Aircraft Carrier she sailed as HMS Pretoria Castle,
After the war she was returned to Union-Castle, refitted and renamed Warwick Castle
https://www.bandcstaffregister.com/page4779.html

The mail ship Warwick Castle was built in 1930 and was sunk in 1942 while serving on trooping duties.
https://www.bandcstaffregister.com/page4311.html

Thanks Chris
I was on the Warwick Castle after she was made to carry Passengers again and doing the Round Africa Run. Good Ship and good Crew! Lots of Fun on her!
Cheers

[Trader]

I sailed on three Manchester Liners, Manchester Progress, Port and City all were built in the 30's and served throughout the war.They all served away from their regular runs to the Far East and Mediterranean. The City for a while served as a mother ship to minelayers. Manchester Liners lost 5 ships out of a fleet of 10 during the war.

[Mike R868356]

The RMS Andes went straight from new build fitting out 1939 to Troopship, served on her for 2 yrs 69-71. I could be wrong but I'm sure I read something many yrs ago now that on refitting in 1947, she became the 1st cruise only designated vessel.

[Peter MacFarlane]

The "Rochester Castle" I think was involved in W.W.2.

Correct Graham. I was 3/Eng. on her in 1972 I think it was,
i believe there was some hope of preseving her but it amounted to nothing.
Here's an article from the Union Castle Group.

As Malta edged inevitably towards starvation and surrender in the summer of 1942, a major naval undertaking was being put in train to enable Malta to survive.

The suspension of Arctic convoys until the shortening days of autumn released a number of warships from the British Home Fleet for service in support of Operation Pedestal.

On June 18, 1942, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was in Washington, where the chiefs-of-staff cabled him, urging him to request the loan of the tanker SS Ohio, on the same basis as SS Kentucky. Also requested from the American administration were two other merchant ships, Santa Elisa and Almeria Lykes. The remaining merchant ships were British and all of them were armed with anti-aircraft guns. A large escorting force was assembled to protect the convoy, comprising two main groups of ships, Forces Z and X.

The overall operational commander was Vice-Admiral E.N. Syfret. The convoy was codenamed WS.5.21.S. Just prior to sailing, Rear-Admiral Burrough met with the Convoy Commodore A.G. Venables, and the masters of the individual merchant ships on board his flagship.

The convoy entered the Mediterranean on the night of August 10, 1942. Its codename became Operation Pedestal. Protecting the vessels, the Royal Navy had the three aircraft carriers HMS Eagle, HMS Victorious and HMS Indomitable, the battleships HMS Nelson and HMS Rodney, besides seven cruisers, 32 destroyers, eight submarines and other units.

The following is a chronology of events following the departure of the convoy from Gibraltar:

Wednesday, August 11

1.15 p.m.: The German submarine U-73 fires four torpedoes into HMS Eagle, sinking it in eight minutes. Some 927 survivors out of 1,160 officers and men were picked up from the sea by the tug HMS Jaunty and two destroyers, HMS Lookout and HMS Laforey.

2.50 p.m.: HMS Furious successfully flies off 38 much-needed Spitfires to Malta (Operation Bellows).

Thursday, August 12

4.16 p.m.: The Italian submarine Axum fires four torpedoes and hits three ships, two of which are HMS Nigeria and the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo, severely damaging the latter. Cairo had to be sunk by gunfire from HMS Derwent north of Bizerte.

8.50 p.m.: MV Empire Hope suffers 18 near misses before a bomb burst and stove in its side, stopping the engines. In seconds, ammunition fuel and aviation spirit explode, setting the stern of the vessel ablaze. The crew abandon ship and are picked up by HMS Penn, the latter firing a torpedo into the doomed merchant ship to sink.

H N DrydenA J CulpinCapt R WrenF E MattocksH F WhiteRobert Leeds
Rochester Castle unloading at Valetta after her epic voyage

Operation Pedestal - 1942
Rochester Castle - Art Gallery
Rochester Castle

Left The Clyde

2 August

For Malta

Master

Capt R Wren DSO

Chief Officer

A J Culpin DSC

2nd Officer

H N Dryden DSC

3rd Officer

W Richmond

Cadets

D C B Lochhead MID

R F Leeds MID

J Whadcoat

2nd Radio Officer

T M K Knowles MID

K Icke MID

Chief Engineer

F E Mattocks DSC

Jnr 2nd Engineer

I F McDonald MID

Snr 4th Engineer

J B Lee MID

Int 4th Engineer

P F H Brebner MID

Electrician

M Thompson MID

Chief Steward

H F White MID

Able Seaman

J J Hesse DSM

Able Seaman

P Inglis DSM

Deck Boy

R Swain DSM

ER Storekeeper

C G Knight MID

9.20 p.m.: Two Junkers Ju88s attack Deucalion. One bomb strikes the ship, a tremendous fire breaks out and the aviation spirit and kerosene explode. Captain Brown orders abandon ship and HMS Bramham approaches the merchantman to pick up survivors.

Friday, August 13

12.40 a.m.: The first torpedo attack by Italian MAS-boats and German Schnellboote in the narrows between Pantelleria and the Tunisian coast. MS 22 and MS 16 speed towards the passing cruiser HMS Manchester, loose their torpedoes and withdraw into the darkness. Seconds later Manchester is hit in the starboard side.

Later, many of the survivors reach Tunisia and are taken prisoner by the Vichy French, who intern them in Bon Fichu, with the survivors from SS Glenorchy and SS Clan Ferguson.

Sauturday, August 14

2 a.m.: MV Glenorchy is hit by torpedoes from the Italian torpedo boat MS 31. Captain Leslie, mindful of the aviation spirit stowed all over the deck, orders his men to abandon ship. Some 124 souls, including the 25 passengers, survive the attack and are ordered to take the boats. MS 31 approaches the sinking ship and picks Chief Officer Hanney and eight men as prisoners.

3 a.m.: A second wave of Italian MAS-boats and German Schnellboote attack the convoy. MAS 552 and MAS 554 torpedo the Wairangi in its port side. Captain Gordon decides to scuttle the ship. The boats are lowered and later the ship is sunk.

3.30 a.m.: Schnellboote S30 and S36 torpedo the American Almeria Lykes and the ship is hit forward in No. 1 hold, where a stow of bags of flour absorbs much of the explosion. However, Captain Henderson orders the crew to abandon ship and 105 men board three boats.

4.15 a.m.: An Italian torpedo boat, MAS 564, closes in from the starboard side of the American ship Santa Elisa and fires a torpedo at point-blank range. The detonation takes place amid aviation spirit. The master orders the crew to abandon ship and the survivors are picked up by HMS Penn.

8 a.m.: Two Junkers Ju88s make a concentrated attack against Waimarama. Four bombs explode amid spirit and ammunition. A vast sheet of flame roars high up into the sky. The survivors are picked up by HMS Ledbury.

9.55 a.m.: HMS Tartar sinks HMS Foresight with a torpedo and heads at high speed to Gibraltar.

11 a.m.: Captain Tucket of Dorset orders the crew to abandon ship and they board the boats. During the evening the ship is hit by bombs and sinks.

11.30 a.m.: A tremendous effort is made to tow the crippled tanker Ohio into harbour. Speed is worked up to a gratifying six knots, with a steady enough course. Morale rises accordingly and to cheer everyone up, Chattanooga Choo-Choo, is played loudly from HMS Penn’s PA system.

6.30 p.m.: Rochester Castle, Port Chalmers and Melbourne Star enter Grand Harbour. As the battle-scarred vessels slide between the arms of the breakwater, the Royal Malta Artillery band plays from the ramparts of Fort St Elmo to welcome the surviving ships.

[robjak]

I was on the Andes as JOS in 1970. Many years later i read a book called Convoy Commodore and she was mentioned in that.

[Ian Hey]

Yes Graham I think she did was on the Operation "Pedestal" Malta convoy