Editing Union-Castle Line (section)

==Union-Castle Line==
[[File:HMHS Dover Castle.jpg|thumb|{{HMHS|Dover Castle||2}} which was built in 1900, was a hospital ship in the First World War and was sunk by torpedo in 1917.]]
[[File:RMS Armadale Castle.png|thumb|{{SS|Armadale Castle||2}} was built in 1903 and was an [[armed merchant cruiser]] in the First World War.]]
[[File:EB1911 Ship, Union-Castle Liner, Kenilworth Castle.jpg|thumb|''Kenilworth Castle'' was built in 1904, was a passenger ship liner.<ref>[[Encyclopædia Britannica]], ed.1911, vol. 24, pg. 889, Plate VIII.</ref>]]
[[File:StateLibQld 1 149283 Edinburgh Castle (ship).jpg|thumb|RMS ''Edinburgh Castle'' was built in 1910, was an armed merchant cruiser in the First World War and an [[barracks ship|accommodation ship]] in the Second World War.]]
[[File:SS Gloucester Castle.jpg|thumb|{{HMHS|Gloucester Castle||2}} was built in 1911 and was a [[hospital ship]] in the First World War. Afterwards she returned to civilian service. She was sunk by torpedo in 1942.]]
[[File:RMS Llandovery Castle.jpg|thumb|{{HMHS|Llandovery Castle||2}} was built in 1914, was a hospital ship in the First World War and was sunk by torpedo in 1918.]]
[[File:Leasowe Castle Troopship.jpg|alt=|thumb|Passenger steam liner {{SS|Leasowe Castle||2}} was built in 1915 and was a troopship in the First World War. She was sunk by torpedo in 1918.]]
[[File:StateLibQld 1 127151 Carnarvon Castle (ship).jpg|thumb|{{RMS|Carnarvon Castle}} was built in 1926, was an armed merchant cruiser in the Second World War and fought the [[German auxiliary cruiser Thor|German auxiliary cruiser ''Thor'']] in 1940.]]
[[File:StateLibQld 1 133529 Athlone Castle (ship).jpg|thumb|''Athlone Castle'' was built in 1936 and was a [[troopship]] in the Second World War.]]
Union-Castle named most of their ships with the suffix "Castle" in their names; the names of several inherited from the Union Line were changed to this scheme (for example, ''Galician'' became {{HMHS|Glenart Castle||2}}) but others (such as {{SS|Galeka||2}}) retained their original name. They were well known for the lavender-hulled liners with red funnels topped in black, running on a rigid timetable between [[Southampton]] and [[Cape Town]]. Every Thursday at 4pm a Union-Castle [[Royal Mail Ship]] would leave Southampton bound for Cape Town. At the same time, a Union-Castle Royal Mail Ship would leave Cape Town bound for Southampton. In 1922 the line introduced its Round Africa service, a nine-week voyage calling at twenty ports en route. Alternate sailings travelled out via the [[Suez Canal]] and out via West Africa.<ref name=Damant/>

The combined line was sold to the [[Royal Mail Line]] in 1911, but continued to operate as Union-Castle. Many of the line's vessels were requisitioned for service as [[troop ship]]s or [[hospital ship]]s in the First World War, and eight were sunk by mines or German [[U-boat]]s. The Royal Mail Line ran into financial difficulties in the 1930s, culminating in the prosecution of its director [[Owen Philipps, 1st Baron Kylsant|Lord Kylsant]], and Union-Castle Line became an independent company again with [[Sir Francis Vernon Thomson, 1st Baronet|Vernon Thomson]] as Managing Director. Many vessels were again requisitioned in the Second World War. Three – {{MS|Dunnottar Castle||2}}, ''Carnarvon Castle'', ''[[HMS Dunvegan Castle|Dunvegan Castle]]'' became [[armed merchant cruiser]]s. {{HMS|Pretoria Castle|F61|2}} (1939) was also first requisitioned as an armed merchant cruiser, but later served as an [[escort carrier]].<ref>{{harvnb|Gardiner|1980}}{{page needed |date=January 2018}}</ref>

After the war the line made good use of its three ships converted to troop transports to facilitate carrying the vast number of emigrants seeking new lives in East and South Africa. When they ran out of berths the line set up its own internal travel agency to book passages on other lines and even air services. The mail service to South Africa, curtailed during hostilities, recommenced with the sailing of ''Roxburgh Castle'' from Southampton on 2 January 1947.<ref name=Damant/>