In the 1800s before the turn of the century two British shipping companies served the important routes to South Africa. The Union Steam Ship Co. Ltd. and The Castle Mail Packets Co. Ltd. competed for the Cape Government’s contract to ship mail between the UK and South Africa and sometimes they held a joint contract and this cumbersome arrangement lasted until finally they amalgamated into one shipping line on the 13th February 1900. The new company was called the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company Ltd.

Over the next 30 years or so the company ran passengers, mails and general cargoes to and from the Cape and also visited other ports around Africa. Most of the passenger ships were fitted with refrigerated cargo space to carry fruit back to the UK and Europe and in the early 1930s it was noticed that the production of fruit in the Cape especially citrus, apples, pears and grapes was on the increase and in 1934 a decision was made to build two refrigerated fast cargo ships which would take general cargoes out to the Cape and return with fruit.

Group One

The first two of these 444 ft long x 61 wide ‘R’ class ships were ordered from Harland & Wolff Belfast and delivered in 1935. Of 7,016grt they were fitted with a single B&W type 8 cylinder double acting two stroke engine of 8,000 bhp manufactured by Harland &Wolff which drove them along at 17 knots and it was claimed that they could steam at over 18 knots when pushed. In the days when many cargo vessels were only capable of 10 or 11 knots the fast ‘R’ ships were a real step forward. There was also one feature that set them aside from the other cargo vessels, they were painted in the same colours as the passenger ships of the line with red boot topping, lavender hulls, white upper works and a red funnel with a black top.

During WW2 the Roslin Castle and her sister the Rothesay Castle (above) frequently sailed independently of convoys in WW2 and relied on their speed to evade U-boats. Unfortunately, in January 1940 the Rothesay Castle inbound with a full cargo ran aground on the coast of Scotland and became a total loss.

The Roslin Castle (above) sailed on with the company until 1967 and after 32 years of service she was sold for breaking up in Taiwan.

Group Two

The success of these fruit carriers before WW2 prompted the management to order 4 more ‘R’ class from Harland & Wolff, Belfast and in 1937 the Rochester Castle and the Roxburgh Castle were delivered, and in 1938 the Richmond Castle and the Rowallan Castle. Painted in the same colours as Group One they were handsome ships.

These vessels were slightly bigger than the two Group One ships and were 474 ft long x 63 wide and all of about 7,798 grt. With a single screw they were fitted with the same B&W type engine as Group One and enjoyed a cruising speed of 15 knots with several more in reserve if needed.

The first of these the Rochester Castle (above) was employed on the South African soft fruit run until WW2 when, painted grey, she ran unescorted with refrigerated meat cargoes to the UK from the USA and South America.

In 1942 she became part of Operation Pedestal which was a convoy of 14 heavily escorted fast cargo ships which sailed from Gibraltar bringing supplies to the beleaguered fortress island of Malta. After days of fierce attacks by Italian and German forces only 5 cargo ships made it into port including a badly damaged Rochester Castle.

After the War, I sailed as 2nd Officer on this ship and became very conscious of her past.

The Roxburgh Castle (above) was also employed pre-war on the soft fruit trade between the UK and the Cape. During WW2 and painted grey she sailed unescorted bringing in refrigerated food to the UK. That was until, off the Azores, and after playing hide and seek with a U-boat, she was torpedoed and sunk.

At that time she was commanded by Captain George Mayhew who later went on to become the Commodore of the company and with whom I sailed as a junior officer on the Cape mail ship Pretoria Castle. He is remembered with much respect and I can imagine the merry dance he gave to the U-boat captain.

Delivered in 1938 the Richmond Castle (above) had a short life being torpedoed in the North Atlantic by a U-boat in August 1942. Her speed did not save her.The 4th and final Group Two ‘R’ ship was The Rowallan Castle. She also did not last long when as part of a convoy bringing supplies from Alexandria Egypt to Malta in 1942 she was bombed by German aircraft which left her in a sinking condition and as recovery of the vessel was not possible, she was sunk by our own forces.

Group Three

As a replacement for one of the lost ships, in 1943 Harland & Wolff Belfast delivered a ship which was similar to the Group Two vessels.

Named the Rowallan Castle (above) she was of 7,950grt with an o/a length of 474 ft x 63 wide. Fitted with the same B&W 8 cylinder diesel engine driving a single screw she had a service speed of 16 knots.

Similarly, in 1944 a new Richmond Castle (above) was delivered. Slightly larger at 7,971 grt she had the same B&W type 8 cylinder engine and cruised at 16 knots.

In 1945 the third replacement was delivered. The Roxburgh Castle (above) maintained the same dimensions as the other Group Three vessels but was of 8,003grt.

Group Four

After the War two new refrigerated ‘R’ class ships were ordered from Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

The first was the Riebeeck Castle (above) which was of 8,322grt with an overall length of 474 ft and 63 ft wide and fitted with the same 8,000 bhp B&W type diesel driving a single screw and giving a service speed of 16 knots.

The second vessel delivered in 1946 was the Rustenberg Castle (above) which basically was a mirror image of the previous vessel. The difference between these vessels and those of the previous Groups was the location of number 3 hold which was moved from between the bridge and engine room casing to forward of the bridge. Also I do not believe actual castles exist with these Afrikaner names.

Therefore, after the War in 1946 the Union Castle Line had seven refrigerated ‘R’ class fast cargo vessels sailing between Europe and South Africa on what was described as the soft fruit trade, i.e. General cargo out and refrigerated fruit on the return.

Slowly age overtook these fine ships and they were taken out of service and scrapped.

Refrigerated fruit is now brought from South Africa to the UK and Europe in containers. Most of the graceful cargo ships in this trade are long gone and have been replaced by the more efficient Box Boats.