HMHS
GRANTULLY 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 23rd 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 January 1915 she was being used
as a troopship and while at Mudros during the Gallipoli campaign,
in company with the Alnwick Castle, and Balmoral Castle, was held
for five weeks from 18th 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 1st May 1915 for Malta where she was commissioned
as a hospital ship with 552 beds. She reverted to Union-Castle on
11th March 1919 and served for a further 20 years before being broken
up in 1939.
