Saxon (4)

RQNT

1st Class Dinner

1st Class Breakfast

SAXON (4) was built in 1900 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast with a tonnage of 12385grt, a length of 570ft, a beam of 64ft and a service speed of 17.5 knots.

She was launched as the last vessel for the Union Steam Ship Co. but delivered to the newly formed Union-Castle Line. Consequently, until she underwent her first re-paint, she operated with a white hull and cream masts but with Union-Castle's red funnel.

In August 1902 she arrived at Southampton with three Boer generals, Botha, de la Ray and de Wet, the Boer War having ended on 31st May with the establishment of three Boer republics within the British Empire.

When the First World War was declared in August 1914 she continued operating the mail run but often carried contingents of troops in third class. By this time London had become the temporary terminal port as Southampton had been designated a military port.

In January 1917 she became a full troopship in both directions and then used to ferry troops between Alexandria and Marseilles. She then made one voyage from Alexandria to Basra, anchoring in Koweit Bay and in November 1918 carried troops to Australia before resuming commercial service in 1919 after a refit at Harland and Wolff's in Belfast.

In September 1920 she had a minor mishap when she lost her rudder after hitting a barge at Cape Town. On 14th August 1921, shortly after leaving Madeira, a fire was discovered in her bunkers and with it under control she made her way to Freetown in Sierra Leone escorted by British India's Waipara. The Kenilworth Castle then took of the passengers and the mail whilst the Armadale Castle escorted her to Cape Town.

She made her final sailing on the Intermediate run on 2nd January 1931 and in the following June was replaced by the Warwick Castle and laid up at Netley as a reserve steamer.

The last remaining Union vessel, she was sold for scrap in 1935, realising £27,500, and was broken up at Blythe, Northumberland by Bolckow & Co

Master

From

To

J Morton

6/1900

12/1903

T J Bremner

1/1904

6/1904

R Reynolds

3/1904

11/1909

J W Creaghe

12/1906

2/1907

F J Moseley

6/1909

7/1909

J Tyson

1/1910

5/1910

J L Stanistreet

5/1910

7/1910

T J Bremner

7/1910

3/1913

R E Becher

3/1913

6/1913

G W Armstrong

6/1913

8/1913

F P Whitehead

6/1913

2/1915

Laid up

12/1913

4/1914

G K Gandy

3/1915


J L Stanistreet

8/1915

8/1916

T J Bremner

8/1916

10/1916

G H Armstrong

4/1918

10/1918

H Strong

12/1918

4/1919

N R Neilson

5/1919

9/1919

T Chope

12/1919

7/1920

J N Culverwell

7/1920

7/1921

W W Verrall

12/1920

2/1921

D H Hoskins

8/1921

10/1921

J W Hague

12/1921

1/1922

J George

2/1922

8/1923

W F Stanley

9/1923

10/1924

S H Owen

1/1925

9/1925

L A Millard

9/1925

11/1925

A Knight

11/1925

8/1926

S H Owen

8/1926

10/1926

C B Imlah

11/1926

2/1927

T M Lang

3/1927

7/1927

G F Gardner

7/1927

5/1928

R G Shilston

7/1928

7/1929

C E Stuart

8/1929

10/1930

C R Jackson

10/1930

2/1931

Laid up

2/1931

3/1931

C R Jackson

4/1931

6/1931

Laid up

6/1931

4/1935

Vessel

Built

Tonnage

Official No

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

HP

Screws

Saxon (4)

1900

12385

112713

Harland & Wolff

Belfast

Harland & Wolff

Belfast

2 x Quadruple Expansion Steam

11800 IHP

2

Career Summary

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