Previous Name:                            DUNOTTAR CASTLE

Subsequent name:

Official Number:                            98152

Class:                                             Accommodation Ship                          

Pennant No:                                  M79                

Laid down:
Builder:                                           Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co, Govan           
Launched:                                     22 May 1890                   

Into Service:                                   June 1915
Out of service:                                27 September 1915
Fate:                                                Foundered             

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:  Some official lists, marked as  “Lists of RFA’s” show vessels which spent some time as RFA’s during the First World War. These records are extremely sketchy and some of these vessels were “Yard Craft”, partially or wholly Dockyard manned, partly by RNR or Reserve Fleet personnel. Some of the Depot Ships staffed by skilled civilian Dockyard workers were for a time White Ensign. The Director of Stores was understood to be concerned with their manning and operationally they remained under Admiralty control.

Career Data:

22 May 1890 launched by  Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co, Govan as Yard Nr 348 named DUNOTTAR CASTLE for Castle Mail Packets Co Ltd, London. Was the first Union-Castle liner to have 2 funnels.

August 1890 completed at a cost of £169,532. Carried 160 x 1st Class, 100 x 2nd Class and 100 x 3rd Class passengers or 1200 Troops in an emergency.

14 October 1890 commenced her maiden voyage from London via Dartmouth to Cape Town and made  the passage in 17 days 19 hours and 50 minutes, thus setting a new record.

20 June 1891 inaugurated the Castle Line service from Southampton to Cape Town.

1894 grounded off the Eddystone Lighthouse but was refloated.

November 1899   transported General Buller, Winston Churchill and 1500 troops to Cape Town and on the following voyage transported Lord Kitchener and Lord Roberts to the Boer War

8 March 1900  owners became Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd (Donald Currie & Co, Managers) London name unchanged.

17 March 1900  first onboard unfurling of the new Houseflag at Southampton.

December 1900 towed into Dakar by the White Star Line RUNIC and was later towed back to the U.K. after her propeller shaft had snapped off Cape Verde. The initial tow was to Dakar and the 300 miles tow took 30 hours at an average speed of 9½ knots.

1904  withdrawn from service and laid up off Netley in Southampton Water.

June 1907  time chartered to Panama Railroad Co for 12 months for passenger work between New York and Panama.

1 August 1907 sailed New York to Panama City

August 1908 chartered to Sir Henry Lunn’s Co-Operative Cruising Co for cruises to Norway and the Mediterranean until 1912.

Spring 1913  transferred to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co Ltd, London and renamed CARIBBEAN. Used on the New York - Bermuda and Canada - West Indies services.

Autumn 1914 hired by the Admiralty and used as a troopship in the first Canadian Transport Convoy to Europe during October and November of that year.

23 November 1914 Commander Frederick H Walter Royal Navy appointed as Commanding Officer

7 December 1914 Temporary Chief Engineer Alfred Nettleton RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

12 December 1914 commissioned as an Auxiliary Cruiser but was in poor shape and soon proved to be  unsuitable for such work and was paid off

June 1915 commissioned as a Miscellaneous Vessel after having been purchased outright by the  Admiralty.  Was fitted out as an RFA accommodation ship for workmen at Scapa Flow.

26 September 1915 having sailed from Liverpool in very heavy weather she got into difficulties off Cape Wrath and sent out distress signals. The light cruiser HMS BIRKENHEAD and tugs were despatched from Scapa Flow and attempted to tow her to safety.

27 September 1915 most of her crew were taken off but she foundered about 0730hrs with the loss 6 Naval Ratings, 7 Merchant Seamen and 2 Canteen Staff. Those lost are remembered with pride on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, the Chatham Naval Memorial, the Plymouth Naval Memorial and two in the Sandwick Cemetery, Ross & Cromarty

Notes:

Sir Donald Currie, the Company Chairman, presented the first British rugby team to visit South Africa on the ship’s maiden voyage with a large gold cup  which he requested they hand to their South African hosts  to use as a trophy for an internal rugby competition. Thus the Currie Cup was introduced to South African rugby.