SS Llandaff Castle
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Llandaff Castle |
| Operator | Union-Castle Line |
| Builder | Workman, Clark and Company, Belfast |
| Launched | 10 August 1926 |
| Completed | January 1927 |
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk 30 November 1942 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger/cargo ship |
| Tonnage | 10,786 GRT |
| Length | 471 ft (144 m) |
| Beam | 61.7 ft (18.8 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 × quadruple-expansion steam engines; twin screws |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
SS Llandaff Castle was a British steam passenger–cargo liner operated by the Union-Castle Line. Built in 1926, she was used extensively during the Second World War for troop transport, and was sunk by a German submarine in 1942 off the coast of Zululand.
Construction
[edit]Llandaff Castle was built by Workman, Clark & Co. in Belfast with the yard number 488. The ship was launched on 10 August 1926, and completed in January 1927.[1] She was a steel-hulled twin-screw vessel, measuring 471 feet (144 m) in length with a beam of 61.7 ft (18.8 m) and a depth of 39.2 ft (11.9 m).[1] The vessel was measured at 10,786 gross register tons (GRT) and she was powered by two quadruple-expansion steam engines producing 1,086 nominal horsepower, giving a service speed of approximately 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).[1]
She was named after Llandaff Castle in Cardiff, Wales.
Civilian service
[edit]The ship operated on Union-Castle's "Round Africa" mail service, making voyages between the United Kingdom and southern and eastern Africa via Mediterranean and East African ports.[2] She carried first- and third-class passengers, with accommodation for 225 in first class and 186 in third class.[3]
Wartime service
[edit]With the outbreak of the Second World War, Llandaff Castle was requisitioned in 1939 for use as a troop transport. During her conversion, the passenger cabins were reconfigured to accommodate up to 1,150 troops. She was also armed with a 4.7‑inch naval gun on her stern, along with two machine guns mounted amidships. This armament remained in place throughout her wartime service.[4]
In August 1940, she transported 300 child evacuees to South Africa under the auspices of the Children's Overseas Reception Board (CORB) scheme.[5]
During 1941 and 1942, she conveyed British and Commonwealth forces between Africa and the Middle East. In May 1942, she took part in Operation Ironclad, the Allied invasion of Madagascar.[5]
Sinking
[edit]On 26 November 1942, Llandaff Castle departed Dar es Salaam en route to Durban, carrying 155 crew, 4 gunners, and 150 passengers, including Soviet military personnel and their families, along with around 300 tons of cargo.[5] On 30 November, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-177 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Robert Gysae, approximately 100 nautical miles (190 km; 120 mi) east of Zululand at 27°20′S 33°40′E / 27.333°S 33.667°E.[5]
The ship was hit by two torpedoes at 17:29 hours and broke in two. A third torpedo struck the stern section at 17:47, followed by a coup de grâce at 18:09.[5] Three crewmen were killed, but 310 survivors were rescued on 2 December by HMS Catterick and taken to Durban.[5] According to reports, when the German U-boat surfaced and asked the survivors if they were all right, one replied they were "just wet", prompting laughter from the Germans, who then departed.[5]
Legacy
[edit]Llandaff Castle was the largest ship ever sunk by U-177.[5] The Union-Castle Line would go on to lose several vessels during the war, but made a significant contribution to Allied logistics, transporting more than 1.3 million troops.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Llandaff Castle". Shipping and Shipbuilding. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ Cooper, Peter. "Union-Castle Line (Part Two)". Shipping Today and Yesterday. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Llandaff Castle" (in German). German Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Trooping in WW2". Union-Castle Line Staff Register. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "SS Llandaff Castle". uboat.net. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Union-Castle Line history". Ancestry24. Retrieved 2 July 2025.