History

HMS Pretoria Castle (F-61) was built at Harland & Wolff, Belfast on 12 October 1938, launched as passenger liner SS Pretoria Castle 1939. Commissioned for deck trials 9 April 1943. Scrapped 1962.

In February 1941 the Ministry of War Transport agreed to reserve ships then under construction for possible conversion to escort carriers, although they refused to release existing ships. The one exception was Activity, who was completed in August 1942 as the refrigerated cargo carrier Telemachus (ex-Empire Activity), and operated by the Alfred Holt Line. Campania, Nairana and Vindex were all converted from refrigerated cargo ships, while Pretoria Castle was converted from a passenger liner. These were "naval" escort carriers as opposed to the "merchant" escort carriers of the "Empire" and "Rapana" Classes. Unlike the American conversions these British conversions were all twin-screw vessels with enclosed hangars and steel flight decks. The five were to have had identical conversions, but Campania, who was not launched until 17 June 1943, received several improvements not fitted in the other four ships.

HMS Pretoria Castle was used solely as training carrier in World War II and saw service in the Atlantic 1940-1942. She was paid off December 1945, sold 26 January 1946 as mercantile Warwick Castle 1947, scrapped Spain 1962-1963.

Battle Honours
Atlantic 1940 - 2

Captains
No information on Captains.

Squadrons and Aircraft
No information

Associations and Reunions
No information

Carrier name	HMS Pretoria Castle Became mercantile Warwick Castle 1947
Class	Activity
Type	British built Escort Carrier
Ships in Class	Activity, Campania, Nairana, Vindex, Pretoria Castle
Launched	Pretoria Castle F-61 Harland & Wolff 12 October 1938 ? 9 April 1943
Tonnage	17,400 tons 23,450 tons
Engines
Speed in Knots	16-18 kts
Armament	2 x 2 x 4"/50-cal HA/LA 4 x 4 x 2pdr pom-pom AA 10 x 2 x 20mm AA
Crew Complement
Range
Length (ft/inches)	594'
Beam (ft/inches)	76'6"
Draught (ft/inches)	28'9"
Flight Deck length (ft/inches)
Flight Deck width (ft/inches)
Armour
Number of aircraft carried	15
Fate of carrier	scrapped Spain 1962-1963
Notes

 

FURTHER INFORMATION   HMS Pretoria Castle - further information by British Forces.com.   Sturtivant, R & Ballance, T  (1994). 'The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1994 ISBN: 0 85130 223 8 The World’s Warships 1941 by Francis E. McMurtrie (1944). Janes London 1941 1st ed.  Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II by Francis E. McMurtrie (Editor)(1984). 320 pages. Crescent Books; ISBN: 0517679639    World Aircraft Carrier Lists and Photo Gallery - from 1913 to 2000. Naval History Information Center, Haze Gray & Underway

        Last Modified: 23-2-2001

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