"Braemar Castle".....

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:43 pm

Hi there
Not sure if this is the right category or not - I have found a postcard dated May 16th 1914 written my my great uncle ,postmark Southampton. the picture is of the "Braemar Castle" and I wondered if this would be the ship that he would be travelling on to join the war?
Sadly he was killed during the war.

JimM · Post by **JimM** » Tue May 02, 2006 11:34 am

Hi F
Sorry no-one has been able help you with the "Braemar Castle" yet.
You say that the postcard is dated May 14th 1914.
Although there were very complex reasons for the start of the great war, the spark that lit the flame was the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28th 1914.
This started a chain of events that led to Britain declaring war on Germany on August 4th 1914.

Jim

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Tue May 02, 2006 5:58 pm

Hi Jim
Silly me! I must brush up on my history!!

My great uncle emigrated to South Africa so it's possible this was him maybe returning there etc.
thanks for your reply
Fiona

JimM · Post by **JimM** » Wed May 03, 2006 3:46 pm

Hi Fiona
we have all been there... I once spent a morning looking through the 1912 voters roll at the Mitchell for my great grandmother before the penny dropped

I did a google for the Braemar Castle.
She was the first ship built at J&G Thompson's new yard at Clydebank in 1873 (the company would later be taken over by John Brown & Co.).
The Braemar was used as a hospital ship during WW1 and was torpedoed on November 1916, she survived the war and was scrapped in 1924.

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/UnionCastle2 ... chor588029

The Braemar was an SS .... this means that she was not a battle ship, so it is highly likely that your great uncle was on a passage.
Jim

Perhaps Fiona could find out more on the Braemar if one of the moderators moved this post to the seafaring board

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Wed May 03, 2006 3:55 pm

Fiona,

I'll think you'll find that although the Braemar Castle was a hospital ship during WW1 it was involved in the Southampton to South Africa route before then.

Meg

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Wed May 03, 2006 4:02 pm

Hi Jim and Meg
thanks very much for your replies and the link.
I guess now I could possibly try and find passenger list for that time if it's available.
the message in the card reads as follows: -
"Got on board
Will fall in about a hour
We are all in the same cabin"
Sadly he was killed in the war fighting with a South African regiment
thanks again
Fiona

JimM · Post by **JimM** » Wed May 03, 2006 4:48 pm

Hi Fiona
Do you know when your great uncle emigrated to S.A?
I wonder if he was travelling with a group of fellow-emigrants?

fmackay wrote:"Will fall in about a hour
We are all in the same cabin"

The Union Castle line were very active in the transportation of emigrants to South Africa and boasted that they were " only ones providing cheap steerage and third class passenger fares to South Africa"

Jim

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Wed May 03, 2006 4:54 pm

Hi Jim
No sorry I have no idea! He was born in 1887 and died 1917 - not much else I'm afraid
Fiona