Scale: 1:96. At first glance the model looks impressive enough with its intricately made, gold-plated fittings but there are signs that it has been made to a budget. Doors and windows have been drawn on and lifeboats have been carved from wooden blocks. The overall result though is very pleasing, and the model is well displayed in its original case, the turned pillar supports are in a gunmetal finish and look like miniature urns. The upper part of the hull has been accurately painted in Union Castle’s trademark lavender grey colour.

‘Llangibby Castle’, a twin-screw motor ship was built in 1929 by Harland and Wolff, Glasgow, for the Round-Africa service of the Union Castle Line. Its squat, angular appearance was typical of motor vessels of the period between 1925 and 1933. Although in peacetime its performance was reliable, if uneventful, ‘Llangibby Castle’ suffered some spectacular adventures during the Second World War, and it is for these that it is remembered.

It was requisitioned as a troopship and while in convoy in the Atlantic, in 1942, it was hit by a torpedo which crashed into the stern, blowing off the rudder and the anti-aircraft gun. In this condition it was steered using the screws for three days through a stormy sea, infested with U-boats, to the Azores then, following temporary repairs, on to Gibraltar and England. In all, it had travelled 3400 miles without a rudder. Later, it survived a direct hit during the invasion of North Africa and also took part in the landings in Sicily.

In 1944 it was converted to an assault ship and was off the Normandy beaches at 05:30 on D-Day. Over the next few months it ferried 100,000 troops across the English Channel. After reconditioning by the builders in 1947, ‘Llangibby Castle’ returned to old service without incident until broken up in 1954.