Dunbar Castle (2)

GPTS

DUNBAR CASTLE (2) was built in 1930 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast with a tonnage of 10002grt, a length of 471ft 2in, a beam of 61ft 2in and a service speed of 14.5 knots.

She was launched for the Round Africa service on 31st October 1929.

Standing in a class by herself and quite unlike Llangibby Castle of which she is sometimes erroneously decribed as a sister ship.

Her passenger arrangements presented several new features, notably the large open-air lounge at the forward end of the 1st Class Promenade Deck. Ideal for dancing at night.

As is the case with other motor vessels she has the low funnels characteristic of the new type of vessel but in her case are particularly unattractive.

She made her first voyage to the Cape in June 1930.

On 8th January 1940, after sailing from London for Beira, she hit a magnetic mine off east Cliff, Ramsgate in the English Channel.

Breaking her back she heeled over and sank onto an even keel in 30 minutes with the loss of 9 lives including her Master (Capt H A Causton) who was killed when the foremast collapsed onto the bridge.

The superstructure remained above water until it was demolished after the war.

Dunbar Castle

Left London

For Beira

Lost 8 January 1940

Fate

Master

H A Causton

Lost

Watchman

W J Stewart

Lost

Storekeeper

N L Bacon

W F Young

Both Lost

Asst Storekeeper

A Fraser

Lost

Greaser

J T Linney

Lost

Asst Cook

W Baldwin

Lost

Asst Baker

R Kay

Lost

Asst Steward

R A Davies

Lost

Mined and Sunk near Ramsgate - 1940

Vessel

Built

Service

Tonnage

Dunbar Castle (2)

1930

1930 Deployed to The West Coast Intermediate Service

1938 Transferred to The Round Africa Service

1940 Mined and sunk off Ramsgate

10002

Official Number

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

HP

Screws

161420

Harland & Wolff

Glasgow

Harland & Wolff

Glasgow

2 x Motor 8 Cyl

Burmeister & Wain

6300 BHP

2

Master

From

To

E S Vincent

6/1930

5/1932

H R Northwood

4/1931

5/1931

E A Comley

3/1932

6/1932

D Nicoll

6/1932

12/1932

E S Vincent

12/1932

3/1933

W Weller

3/1933

6/1933

C N Bickford

7/1933

7/1934

A H Blackman

8/1934

2/1936

H E Jackson

3/1936


E A Comley

3/1936

8/1936

W S Colbourne

10/1936

11/1937

A E Castle

11/1937

2/1939

H A Causton

3/1939

1/1940

Killed

Union-Castle Home Page
Home Page Previous Page Next Page