Original WWII-era photograph of RMS Athlone Castle with handwritten notes from a soldier documenting transport and service dates (1943). A unique historical piece with personal provenance.
• Signed in image: Beken & Son
• Catalog number: 40298 in lower left corner
• Size: 8” × 10”
• Frame included (wood, shows age wear) with original backing board.
• On the reverse backing board, a U.S. soldier recorded personal service notes, including:
• “Sailed out of New York on Dec 5, 1943 on Athlone Castle”
• Dates of his WWII service through discharge at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, Dec 2, 1945
⚓ The Athlone Castle was a Union-Castle Line passenger liner converted to a troopship during WWII, carrying thousands of soldiers to England for the buildup to D-Day.
🪖 Collector Appeal:
• To Beken maritime photo collectors: a clean, original WWII ship photograph, cataloged and signed.
• To WWII troopship/militaria collectors: rare soldier-annotated provenance, connecting this photo directly to a U.S. serviceman’s wartime journey.
Condition: Photo itself is clean and sharp with only light age wear. Frame shows scratches/wear but retains the soldier’s original annotated backing board.
