Stirling Castle
Ship Number
941
Vessel Type
Passenger Ship
Built
Belfast
Slip Number
1
Launch Date
August 15, 1935
Launched By
Capt Stewart
Delivered
January 29, 1936
Owner
Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co.
Weight
25594 grt
BP Length
680 feet
Breadth
82 feet
No. of Screws
Twin
Speed (approx)
20 knots
Propulsion
B&W 2 x 10 Cylinder 2S DA, 4650 NHP
Official No.
164570
Registered
London
Fate
Scrapped
Stirling Castle

[Harland and Wolff Collection]
Sailed on her maiden voyage on 7th February 1936. She completed her first voyage in the scheduled time of 16 days 15 hrs but, capable of 21 knots if required, did the run in 13 days 9hrs in the following August and beat the record established by Union's Scot in 1893.
 
In 1940 she was requisitioned for troopship duties capable of carrying 6000 persons eating and sleeping in two sessions, a capacity which was occasionally reached.
 
In 1941 she was kept on 7 day standby, as part of a 12,000 strong force, in case it became necessary to occupy the Azores and/or the Canary Islands and in 1943 carried troops from the US to the UK as part of Operation Bolero in readiness for the D-Day landings.
 
By the war's end she had carried 128,000 soldiers and sailed over half a million miles in her wartime role
 
She was finally released in 1946 and underwent a refit before returning to the mail run in 1947.
 
In 1966 she was sold for scrap, realising £360,000, and arrived at Mihara, Japan on 3rd March for breaking up by Nichimen K.K.