When a merchant ship developed engine trouble on 27 February 1944, Rockhampton continued with the convoy while Castlemaine took the casualty in tow at five knots. An ASDIC contact at 500 yards brought the crew to action stations and preparations to release the tow. Eight minutes later the contact was lost and classified as non-submarine, and the merchantman eventually completed temporary repairs. In early March, a fresh submarine report interrupted Castlemaine's planned boiler cleaning and drew six corvettes into a search. The embarked command staff transferred to another ship so Castlemaine could return for maintenance while the search continued.
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Submarine alerts complicated towing and boiler maintenance
Castlemaine's towing and maintenance work show how submarine alerts could abruptly change an escort's duties and require cooperation with other corvettes.