Kildonan Castle (Union Castle)
Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:32 am
Kildonan Castle, the sister ship of Kinfauns Castle, was the last ship built for the Castle Line. She was built by the Fairfield Ship Building and Eng Co., and was launched on the 22nd August 1899.
She was immediately requisitioned as a troop transport for the Boer War. She carried 20,429 troops from the 5th October 1899 to the 23rd May 1901.
In 1915 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty for service in the First World War and from the 6th October 1915 to the 10th March 1916, she served as a hospital ship. She spent the rest of the war as an armed merchant cruiser and it was not until the 31st December 1921 that she was returned to the Union castle Line.
She remained on the mail route for another five years and then she became a reserve ship.
On 18th may 1930 she arrived at Stavanger for breaking-up.
She was immediately requisitioned as a troop transport for the Boer War. She carried 20,429 troops from the 5th October 1899 to the 23rd May 1901.
In 1915 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty for service in the First World War and from the 6th October 1915 to the 10th March 1916, she served as a hospital ship. She spent the rest of the war as an armed merchant cruiser and it was not until the 31st December 1921 that she was returned to the Union castle Line.
She remained on the mail route for another five years and then she became a reserve ship.
On 18th may 1930 she arrived at Stavanger for breaking-up.