Union Castle Line 'Edinburgh Castle 2' Souvenir Card Pack Holder

Built in 1910 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, she was the second Union-Castle ship to bear the name Edinburgh Castle. Of 13330 GRT, she was 570 foot long with a beam of 64ft. She could carry 790 passengers in 3 classes and her twin screws drove her at a service speed of 14 knots. World War 1 interrupted her mail service and she was taken up as an armed merchant cruiser in 1914, serving in the North as well as South Atlantic. When the war ended she was given a refit and re-entered the mail service until 1938 when she was withdrawn from service and laid up for possible disposal. She gained a reprieve when she was purchased by the Admiralty for use as an accommodation ship, based at Freetown. It is said that she floated on gin bottles and when war ended, her long service in this capacity with very little maintenance resulted in her being declared not cost effective to tow back to England. On 5 November 1945, she was towed some 60 miles from Freetown and sunk by gunfire and depth charges from HMS Fal and HMS Porchester Castle. Her name would then be carried by the 1948 built Edinburgh Castle, a steamer of 28705 GRT, which could carry 693 passengers in 2 classes. She made her final voyage in 1976. This old suede covered card deck holder displays a nice depiction of the 2nd EDINBURGH CASTLE and with this vessel having been sunk in 1945 the item has to be a minimum of 63 years of age...probably it is pre World War Two and therefore closer to 80 years old. The Holder has a CONTRACT BRIDGE RULES paper insert inside but no cards. Measures 4" x 3" when folded shut.