RMS PRETORIA/WARWICK CASTLE.
A large portion of the Union-Castle fleet went to war, either as troopships, armed merchant cruisers or, as in the case of the Pretoria Castle, as an aircraft carrier. Built by Harland & Wolff, she was launched on 12 October 1938, and was requisitioned as an AMC in October 1939, having only been completed that same year. She was purchased outright in July 1942 and sent to Swan Hunter for conversion into an aircraft carrier. She was completed in August of 1943 but only served as a trials and training carrier.


HMS Pretoria Castle

At wars end she was surplus to requirements and was purchased once again by the Union-Castle Line in 1946, who converted her into an intermediate mailship, under the name Warwick Castle. She served in this role run until sold for breaking up in 1962.