Warwick Castle
British Troop transport
| Name | Warwick Castle | ||
| Type: | Troop transport | ||
| Tonnage | 20,107 tons (one of the largest ships sunk). | ||
| Completed | 1930 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast | ||
| Owner | Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 14 Nov 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-413 (Gustav Poel) | ||
| Position | 39° 12'N, 13° 25'W - Grid CG 4546 | ||
| Complement | 462 (96 dead and 366 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | MKF-1X | ||
| Route | Gibraltar (11 Nov) - Glasgow | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Completed in January 1931 as motor passenger ship for Union-Castle Mail SS Co Ltd, London. In Sepember 1939 requistioned by the Admiralty as troopship. | ||
| Notes on event | At 08.44 hours on 14 Nov 1942 the Warwick Castle (Master Henry Richard Leepman-Shaw) in convoy MKF-1X was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-413 about 200 miles northwest of Cape Espichel, Portugal. The U-boat hit her with two coups de grâce at 08.57 hours, that caused the ship to sink about one hour later. The master, 61 crew members and 34 service personnel were lost. 201 crew members, 29 gunners, 5 naval personnel and 131 service personnel were picked up by HMS Achates (H 12) (LtCdr A.H.T. Johns, DSO, RN), HMS Vansittart (D 64) (LtCdr T. Johnston, DSC, RN), HMCS Louisburg (K 143) (LtCdr W.F. Campbell, RCNVR) and the British motor merchant Leinster and landed at Greenock. The Warwick Castle had been in convoy KMF-1 for Operation Torch and landed her troops on 10 November. | ||
| On board | We have details of 81 people who were on board. | ||
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