HMS Carnarvon Castle

Survived

Type	Armed merchant cruiser
War	Second World War
Main guns	8 × 6-inch guns

Union-Castle liner taken up as an armed merchant cruiser. Fought the raider Thor off Brazil on 5 December 1940 and was hit eight times, losing six men killed. Returned to the Cape mail run after the war.

Union-Castle liner MV Carnarvon Castle, as built in 1926 with two funnels Photo: Unknown, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Armament and specifications

Armament

As armed merchant cruiser
8 × 6-inch guns
2 x 3-inch anti-aircraft guns
machine guns

Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Launched	14 January 1926
Commissioned	9 October 1939
Length	As built: 656 ft (199.95 m) after 1937: 686 ft (209.09 m)
Speed	Cruising: 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph) Max: 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)

As built, from the ship's Wikipedia article. Figures there may cover later refits too.

Career

Launched

14 January 1926

Action between Thor and Carnarvon Castle

Damaged

5 December 1940

Hit eight times; 6 killed, 32 wounded

Fate

Survived

Scrapped in 1963