Sinking of Windsor Castle 2nd World War

[lekie]

Running your own newsagents business in Berwck-upon-Tweed which is situated in North Northumberland brings you in contact with many interesting people and their stories.
One morning while serving this retired gentleman wth his morning newspaper the conversation for some reason got round to my short career as a lekie at sea with Reardon Smith Line.
He in turn informed me that his father had been C/Eng on the Union Castle when it was sunk during the 2nd World War.
The next morning he arrived in the shop with photos his father had taken from a lifeboat with the propellor being the last part of the vessel showing before it disappeared from sight.
Can anyone shed any light on this tradgedy ?

[macca57]

Windsor Castle (II) was built in 1922 by John Brown & Co., Clydebank for the for Union Castle Mail Steamship co. She was ordred from H&W Glasgow.
Her order was transferred to JB and her keel laid down in 1915, due to war shortages etc., she was launched march 1922.
1937: she was modernised.
1939: requisitioned for trooping.
1941:A four hundred pound bomb penetrated her forward lounge and failed to explode.
1942: March 23 at 02:35 whilst sailing in convoy she was struck by an aerial torpedo, although carrying a full complement of troops only one crew member was killed. She sank 13 hours later 110 miles North of Algiers.

[Scurdie]

According to Clydesite, ss Windsor Castle was sunk on 20 March 1943. "She sank 13 hours after an aerial torpedo struck her 110 miles NW of Algiers whilst in convoy. Only one life was lost although she was carrying about 3000 troops and crew."
See http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=2010 where there is a photograph of this lovely-looking ship.

[ed glover]

windsor castle was sunk by an aireal torpedo March 23rd 1943 she had 2,699 troops and 289 crew. all were saved except a junior engeneer William Ogilvie Mann. she sunk stern first. my father was a junior engeneer on her at the time.
more info can be had on Wikipedia and type in ss windsor castle photos of her last minutes are on this site
Ed Glover
Controlled Drifting

[Hugh MacLean]

The crewman who was lost: http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2800378

Your friend's father would have been his head of dept.

Regards