HMHS Gloucester Castle
 Gloucester Castle
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
  United Kingdom | |
| Operator |  Union-Castle Line (1911—1914; 1919—1942
Royal Navy (1914—1919) |
| Port of registry | London |
| Builder | Fairfields S&E, Glasgow |
| Yard number | 478 |
| Launched | 13 May 1911 |
| Completed | August 1911 |
| Fate | Sunk by auxiliary cruiser Michel on 15 July 1942 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 7,999 GRT |
| Length | 452.7 ft (138.0 m) |
| Beam | 56.2 ft (17.1 m) |
| Draught | 30.7 ft (9.4 m) |
| Propulsion | Steam, quadruple expansion engines, 722 nhp |
| Speed | 13 knots (24 km/h) |
HMHS Gloucester Castle (His Majesty's Hospital Ship) was a steam ship originally built for the
South Atlantic
.
History
In the
First World War
Gloucester Castle served as a hospital ship.
She was torpedoed off the Isle of Wight by German U-boat UB-32 (Kapitänleutnant Max Viebeg) on 30 March 1917. Three died during the transfer of crew and wounded but she was able to be towed back to port after two weeks.
After the war she was returned to her owners on 9 September 1919 for service on the intermediate routes and later served on the round-Africa service, earning the nickname 'Go Slowster Castle' because of her inadequate speed.
In the
Helmuth von Ruckteschell chose to attack after dark without warning. The first shells from Michel destroyed the bridge and radio room and, consequently, no S.O.S. was transmitted. The ship sank with 93 killed, including the Master, Herbert H. Rose, six woman passengers, and two children. The remaining 61 survivors were picked up by the Michel and interned at Yokohama, Japan
. After repatriation, the survivors reported the conditions under which they were forced to work and live.
See also
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gloucester Castle (ship, 1911).
10°5′S 5°0′W / 10.083°S 5.000°W
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1917 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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