SS Leasowe Castle

The British passenger steam liner SS Leasowe Castle was built between 1915–1917 at Cammell Laird shipyards in Birkenhead.

Leasowe Castle as a troopship during World War I
History
England
Name: SS Leasowe Castle
Operator: Union-Castle Line
Builder: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Laid down: 16 March 1915
Launched: 5 April 1917
Out of service: 27 May 1918
Fate: Sunk by SM UB-51
General characteristics
Type: Steamliner
Tonnage: 9,737 GRT
Length: 488 ft (149 m)
Beam: 58 ft (18 m)
Draught: 27.5 ft (8.4 m)
Installed power: 1,759 nhp
Propulsion:
Speed: 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Capacity: 3,000

The ship was originally to be called Vasilissa Sophia and destined for the National Steam Navigation Company of Greece. During construction though, the ship was commandeered by the British Government through the Liner Acquisition Scheme, to be run by the Union-Castle Line. She was finally launched on 5 April 1917 and named Leasowe Castle (a 16th-century castle on the Wirral Peninsula in North West England).[1]

Leasowe Castle was used as a troopship in World War I, initially under Captain H.B. Harvey.[2]

On 20 April 1917 the ship, under Captain J.N. Culverwell, was torpedoed and damaged by German submarine SM U-35, 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) north west of Gibraltar. The wake of a torpedo was spotted by the crew approaching from the port side and the ship managed to turn to limit the damage. The torpedo hit the stern and destroyed the rudder. A second torpedo was fired and narrowly missed. The ship managed to reach Gibraltar under her own power for repairs.[3]

Soon after midnight on 27 May 1918 the ship was struck by a torpedo from German submarine SM UB-51 in the Mediterranean Sea, 104 nautical miles (193 km; 120 mi) north west of Alexandria, Egypt (31°30′N 27°56′E). The ship was carrying 2,900 troops en route from Alexandria to Marseilles in France. After about 90 minutes Leasowe had sunk with the loss of 101 lives, including Captain E.J. Holl. Many men spent hours in the water. Survivors were returned to Egpyt.[4][5][6]

References
  1. "Leasowe Castle". www.bandcstaffregister.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  2. "LEASOWE CASTLE OCEAN LINER 1917-1918". WRECKSITE. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  3. "The Merchant Navy, Volume 3, by Archibald Hurd - World War 1 at Sea". www.naval-history.net. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. "Passenger steamer Leasowe Castle - Ships hit by U-boats - German and Austrian U-boats of World War One - Kaiserliche Marine - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  5. "Sailing ships and Steamships sunk in World War 1". www.naval-history.net. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  6. Team. "Leasowe Castle Timeline". Radcliffe on Trent WW1. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
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