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There is no record of a badge ever being approved or proposed for this ship.

Pennant Number:

F61

 

Battle Honours:

Atlantic 1943-45

 

Specifications: 

Builder:

Harland & Wolff

Belfast, Northern Ireland

 

Converted by:

Swan Hunter

Displacement:

23,450 tons

length (Overall):

 594ft 7in

Beam:

 76ft 6 in

Speed:

 18 knots

Crew Complement:

580

A/C Capacity:

21

Commanding Officers:

Capt. A.V. Hemming RN

Mar 41 – Mar 43

 

***


Capt. R.B. Davies

RN

Mar 43 – Jun 44

 

***


Capt. G.C. Dickins

RN

May 45 – DEC 45

 

Squadrons:

778

Service Trials Unit

 

 

A History of HMS PRETORIA CASTLE

 

 

HMS PRETORIA CASTLE arriving at Rosyth to complete post conversion trials March 12th 1943

 

 

Built by Harland & Wolff. Belfast, Northern Ireland; Launched 12 Oct 1938, completed 1939 as a passenger liner. Requisitioned as armed merchant cruiser 10/1939, commissioned 28 November 1939. Purchased by RN 16 July 1942 and converted to a carrier at Swan Hunter. Commissioned 29 July 1943, conversion completed 9 August 1943.

 

Used only as a trials and training carrier. She was paid off December 1945, sold 26 January 1946  for merchant service but not immediately decommissioned; delivered to new owners 21 March 1946 for conversion to cargo liner. Entered service as  'Warwick Castle' 1947. Scrapped in Spain starting 9/1962.

 

 

 

 

Content revised: July 2008

Sources used in compiling this account:

Brown, D. (1974) ‘Carrier Operations in World War 2 – vol 1 the Royal Navy’ Shepperton, Ian Allen Ltd.

Hobbs, D. (2003) 'Royal Navy Escort Carriers' Liskeard, Maritime Books

Poolman, K. (1988) 'Allied Escort Carriers of World War Two in Action' London, Blandford Press

Poolman, K. (1972) 'Escort Carriers 1941 - 1945' Shepperton, Ian Allen Ltd.

Sturtivant, R. & Burrows, M. (1995) ‘Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945’ Tonbridge Wells, Air Britain (Historians)

Sturtivant, R & Balance, T., (1994) ‘Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm’ Tonbridge Wells, Air Britain (Historians)

British officers (including Commonwealth officers serving in British units) Part of WWII Unit Histories and Officers web site.

Casualty Lists of the Royal Navy and Dominion Navies, 1922-present A comprehensive resource listing service details of men and women killed in RN and RM service.

Convoy Web A comprehensive resource listing WW2 convoys and ships .

War Sailors Ships in Atlantic and miscellaneous convoys during WW2.

 

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Copyright Tony Drury 2008