Old Napkin Ring HMT Leasowe Castle 1915-17 WWI troop carrier - Noteable Sinking
YOU ARE BIDDING ON ONE NAPKIN RING
This is an Unusual Original Very Rare Old Napkin Ring HMT Leasowe Castle 1915-17 WWI troop carrier - Noteable Sinking
.It is made of Silver Plated metal and measures 1.75" in diameter and 1" in height.
Good condition , some minor wear, needs a clean and polish. Wear to Silver Plate
I believe this is a rare item.
I have 15 of these to sell but am selling them seperately so everyone has a chance of getting one.
The Leasowe Castle was built by Cammell Laird in 1917. Her keel was laid in 1915 for the National Steam Navigation Company of Greece. Work was suspended on her for some time and she was eventually transferred to the Byrom steam ship company. It was thought she could be requisitioned for trooping duties. Having been acquired by the government, she was launched in 1917 and named the Leasowe Castle and placed under the management of Union Castle, who never actually owned her. She began the movement of troops between Alexandria and Marseilles in April 1918 and off Gibraltar she was torpedoed by U-boat35. She was then an Ambulance ship, she made it back to port for repairs.
In May 1918 She was carrying troops of the Warwickshire Yeomanry,South Notts Hussars, the Bucks and Berks, MG BTN all companies of machine gunners, again she was torpedoed 104 miles North west of Alexandria and sank by U-boat51 with the loss of 102 lives, including the ships master Captain Holl.
Extracts from "The Union-Castle and the War 1914-1919 by E.F. Knight published by the Company in 1920.
p28/29 on the loss of the troopship "Leasowe Castle" May 27th 1918.
"The 'Leasowe Castle' was a 10,000 ton ship, which, having been built in England for a Greek firm, was requisitioned by the Admiralty and handed over to the Union-castle Company. She was commanded by Captain Holl, a fine sailor and a very popular captain of the Union-Castle Line................"
"It was largely due to the precautions which Captain Holl used to take before sailing that so few lives were lost in the disaster. His officers have told me that he was untiring in his work of organisation. daily while lying at anchor he used to lower a number of his boats and train men in rowing, sailing, the use of sea anchors, and, of course, in clearing away and launching of boats. he also before leaving port used to train a portion of the troops under his charge in the handling of boats, and he saw to it that complete arrangements were made for falling in of the men at emergency stations............"
p32
"Nothing was seen of Captain Holl after the disaster. He had been last heard giving the order, "Every man for himself," (this after seeing all boats away with all 2,900 troops OGK) from the sinking ship. The Chief Officer, in his report, wrote of the Captain that, "in his consideration for the safety of all those under his care, he never for one instant thought of his own safety, and went down with his ship" During the hour and a half that the ship floated, whenever the Chief Officer reported to him, Captain Holl said: "Do your utmost; they must be saved." "Several times he came down on to the boat deck, encouraging and exhorting the men to further efforts, always cheerful, always hopeful."
From CWGC:
Name: HOLL
Initials: E J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Master
Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine
Unit Text: "Leasowe Castle."
Date of Death: 27/05/1918
Please note I am based in Scotland
I will be happy to combine postage for multiple purchases , please wait for me to send you a combined postage invoice.
Conditions of Sale
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