HMHS
GRANTUALLY CASTLE was built in 1910 by Barclay, Curle & Co. at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 7612 gross tonnes, a length of 450ft 7in,
a beam of 54ft 4in and a service speed of 13 knots. Together with
her sister, the Garth Castle, she
was one of the last pair ordered under the personal supervision of
Sir Donald Currie who died on 23 April 1909 at the age of 83. One
of five ships built for the Intermediate trade she was given a 'G'
name to replace the ex-Union 'G' class but the class was never as
popular as the 'D' class ships. IN November 1914 she was being used
as a troopship and in January 1915, while at Mudros during the Gallipoli
campaign, in company with the Alnwick Castle, and Balmoral Castle,
was held for five weeks from 18 March when the troops, because of
mines, were unable to force the Dardanelles straits until 23rd April
when they eventually landed to oppose a re-inforced Turkish army.
She left the Dardanelles on 1 May 1915 for Malta where she was commissioned
as a hospital ship with 552 beds. She reverted to Union-Castle on
11 March 1919 and served for a further 20 years before being broken
up in 1939.
