RMMV Capetown Castle Archival Collection
Postcard of the RMMV Capetown Castle (1938) of the Union-Castle Line. The Ship Serviced the Southampton-South Africa Route. GGA Image ID # 1d803a1617
Capetown Castle (1938) Union-Castle Line
Built by Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland. Tonnage: 27,002. Dimensions: 702' x 82' (734' o.l.). Twin-screw, 20 knots. Motorship. Two masts and one funnel. Launched: September 1937. Note: The longest motorship in the world. Service: Southampton-South Africa. Passengers: 243 first, 553 tourist. WW2 Service: After the outbreak of World War II, in January 1940, the government introduced the Liner Requisition Scheme, and Capetown Castle was taken up for conversion into a troop ship. In 1943 she took part in Operation Bolero, the build-up of troops in preparation for D-Day. She was eventually returned to her owners in 1946, having sailed 484,000 miles and carried over 164,000 troops. Post War Service: The ship was refurbished at Belfast and returned to commercial service on 9 January 1947. Fate: She was sold for scrap and left Southampton on 19 September 1967 for La Spezia, arriving on 26 September 1967 for breaking up by Terrestre Marittima.
1949-04-21 R.M.M.V. Capetown Castle Passenger List
- Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
- Class of Passengers: First and Cabin Class
- Date of Departure: 21 April 1949
- Route: Southampton for Capetown, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Durban via Madeira
- Commander: Captain W. D. Roach
