Just of some Interest

[Doc Vernon]

Here is an old Postcard Pic from Years back of Cape Town Harbour, when Troopships were Docked and two Union Castle ones. Ready to take the Troops to the War Front!
Cheers

wAR tIME AT cAPE tOWN dOCKS.jpg

[James Curry]

50,000 men heading for the middle east in Cape Town. I was thinking why not go through Suez Canal? Suppose a Germany & Italy would have hammered that convoy so the longer route was safer?

[Bryan Portwig]

the port of durban - with the sa vaal at the ocean terminal and some sar@h tugs dredgers and general cargo shipping - this whole scene has changed dramitically over the years

durban.jpg

[Ivan Cloherty]

50,000 men heading for the middle east in Cape Town. I was thinking why not go through Suez Canal? Suppose a Germany & Italy would have hammered that convoy so the longer route was safer?

The Medi was virtually a closed shop for transit vessels, you had Italian and German U-Boats as well as Italian and German Airforce, the main Italian fleet and also the Italian 45/50 knot torpedo boats. Also thousands of British troops were stationed at various ports en-route to SAfrica, not forgetting that these vessels also picked up African Regiments on the way down as well as African Regiments embarking at Capetown, Durban and Port Elizabeth.