Code: 11278
A highly unusual card board gift box from the Union Castle Line ship "Carisbrook Castle" presented to wounded troops on board whilst she was serving as a Hospital Ship in WW1.
The front of the box bears the flag of the Union Castle Line, and the name of the ship "H.M.A.T. Carisbrook Castle" along with the presentation "With the Compliments of the Union Castle Line and their Best Wishes for your Speedy Recovery. Owen Philipps Chairman."
One can imagine the box may have contained small comforts for the wounded troops the "Carisbrook Castle" would have been carrying as a Hospital Ship.
She was comandeered in 1914 and served as a Hospital Ship ferrying the wounded home from the Western Front. There is a fantastic image of the "Carisbrook Castle" in her Hospital livery, as well as more details on her war time service, which can be found here:
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Ships/HMHSCarisbrookCastle.html
The box measures four inches by four inches, with a depth of two inches.
A rare survival, and the only one I have ever seen.
