Michael Rossouw

[Michael Rossouw]

Can any of you Castlemen help me identify this Union Castle ship , it looks like the mizzel mast and dericks have gone and the place of the mast throughs me off thinking its the Donnotor , Cape Town , or Durban Castle.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Michael
Well that is a very interesting Picture,and as you say the mizzel mast and dericks are not there!
Other than that it looks a heck of a lot like the Dunnottar Castle ,and from memory as this eas my First Ship,i would say it is her!
I cannot remember ever seeing her without the Mast and Derrick,but that could well have happened after her last Voyage??
Here is a Link with other Pics of her! What do you think !?
Cheers

http://www.timetableimages.com/marit...es/ucldurb.htm

[Michael Rossouw]

Thanks Castleman ,when you look closely then yes you are right , I see many of the Union Castle Liners were sold to the Sitmar Line ,and the changed colour and some superstructure was revamped .My time with Union Castle is documented undet my name . I felt it was a good company. And at the time I lived in Southhampton and we had a real choice of lots of ships from the pool down in Canaught Rd. I did a bit of shore work for Thornicraft in the dry dock as a rigger .I now am back home in Christchurch New Zealand.
I must add that the last earthquake has knocked down much of the old town of Lyttelton and the British Hotel could be a demalition job.

[happy daze john in oz]

She appaesr to be at anchor and from the look of her I would say possibly on the way to, or at the breakers yard, maybe Alang?
I was in Christchurch on Boxing Day and Lyttleton. There was a lot of damage showing there then and I have seen a few photos of it since. Sad to say not a pretty sight, so sorry for the people there.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi John
It may be at Ancor ,but definately not for the breakers Yard!
She was sold to another Company ( Incress Line)and then revamped to become a very nice Ship renamed the Victoria,and sailed on for many more Years after that! Also as The Victoria and Princes Victoria!
Cheers

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ChandrisVictoria.html

I am stil looking into the original question to see if i can get an answer to when she had no Mast and Derrick!
Will let you know if i come up with anything!

By the way Michael that First trip of mine was also the last trip for her as the Dunnotar,so was indeed a very memorable trip indeed!
Not to forget how long she took to do her last trip from Cape Town to KG5 ,normally that stretch would take (if i recall correctly) only a Max of 14days +- this trip took 20 days in total,making it the longest trip in modern History for the Union Castle Line! But then she visited a few Island that were not on the Itinery,which again made for a special occasion!
A Pic was taken of her going back to KG5 in South Atlantic last trip in 1958 ,and i only found out many Years later that (through the Interenet) i was the on Board! as 1st Class Asst Stwd!
I of course kept this Photo!
Its on the Net somewhere,i will look for the actual writeup on this Pic!
Amazing the things that happen!
Cheers

Added!
As you can see the cutout of page one of my Discharges shows that i was on her on the 19th July 1958

Thanks to Mr. Anderson and a certain quartermaster aboard the DURBAN CASTLE the evocative picture above was taken of the DUNNOTTAR CASTLE LAUNCHED (1936) as seen from the DURBAN CASTLE between Ascension Island and St. Helena in the South Atlantic on July 19th 1958. DUNNOTTAR CASTLE was homeward bound on her last voyage as a Union-Castle liner. At that time Mr. Anderson was serving on DURBAN CASTLE LAUNCHED (1938) as a lamp trimmer. The DUNNOTTAR CASTLE sailed on as the Greek cruise ship VICTORIA. DURBAN CASTLE was broken up in Hamburg in 1962.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Michael
Well i knew there was something wrong about that Ship!
After searching and also assistance from others,i now have found out that the Ship in question wasnt any Union Castle one ,it was in fact a Ship that looked very much like one but was indeed the "Oranje" by "Nederland Line 1939-1964
It sure did look a lot like a Castle Boat though!
You can see the Single mast etc!
Well that solves that one!
Cheers

[Michael Rossouw]

Hi Castleman ,their appears to be two ships of the same name .The one Oranje from Nedoloyd Line and the Ex Pretoria Castle re named the SA Oranje under the Safmarine colours .I sailed oh her from 3 rd Aug 1966 to 19 th Dec 1966 ,and when you look at the photos they are different. I will try and include a photo .
Thanks Michael Rossouw

[Ian Warren]

For anyone interested, I have just noticed that there is a model of the Oranje for sale on eBay. It has the following information: -

Oranje was completed in 1939, and left on her maiden voyage to Batavia on September 4th, after a cruise from Amsterdam-Madeira. She remained in Sourabaya following the outbreak of WW2, later transferring to Australia where she was converted to a hospital ship for the Royal Australian Navy, though remaining under the Dutch flag. Oranje re-entered Amsterdam-Batavia service in 1946. In 1950 she began a Round-the-World service via Panama, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Suez. In 1964 she was sold to Achille Lauro, who renamed her Angelina Lauro.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-1250-ship-mo...item230ee2edae

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Michael
Here are sme sites worth looking at!
Amazing the likeness isnt it!
Cheers

http://www.ssmaritime.com/oranje.htm

http://www.timetableimages.com/marit...es/ucl72i2.htm

Recognise anyone on this Pic! 1966

Just of interest

http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/unioncastle4.html

[happy daze john in oz]

Hi Castleman ,their appears to be two ships of the same name .The one Oranje from Nedoloyd Line and the Ex Pretoria Castle re named the SA Oranje under the Safmarine colours .I sailed oh her from 3 rd Aug 1966 to 19 th Dec 1966 ,and when you look at the photos they are different. I will try and include a photo .
Thanks Michael Rossouw

Micheal on an aside note how are the recovery events going in Christchurch? Saw a bit on T.V. the other night and it looks as if the clean up is well under way, though re-building must be a long way off?