EMPRESS OF BRITAIN
...Empress of Britain at Auckland Wharves with Matson Liner (Mariposa or Monterey) on other side.

Empress of Britain (II) 1931-1940.

ON: 162582
IDNo: 1162582
Year: 1931
Name: EMPRESS OF BRITAIN
Type: Passenger/cargo (ref)
Flag: GBR
Launch Date: 11.6.30
Date of completion: 5.31
Owner: Canadian Pacific
Builder: John Brown & Co., Clydebank.
Link: 1569
Yard No: 530
V1931 #119
GRT: 42,348
LPP: 223.6
Beam: 29.8
4ST-24 knots.

1940 ac/b in 54.53N 10.49W on 26.10.40, then sm/t U-32 (Hans Jenisch) in 55.16N 9.50W on 28.10.40 (45* & 578 survivors) [Port Twefik, Egypt – Capetown - Liverpool, cargo 300 tons sugar & 300 tons government stores]

Details: Miramar Ship Index.


http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/643.html

In March 1940 brought troops from Australia to Europe and then brought troops to Suez via Capetown.

On 26 Oct, 1940, the unescorted Empress of Britain (Master Charles Havard Sapsworth) was struck by two 250kg bombs from a German Fw200 Condor aircraft of the 2./KG 40 piloted by Oblt Bernhard Jope (awarded the Knight Cross on 30 Dec, 1940 and the Oak Leaves on 24 Mar, 1944) and caught fire in 54°53N/10°49W about 70 miles northwest of Aran Island, Co. Donegal.

The most of the 416 crew members, two gunners and 205 passengers (military personnel and their families) abandoned ship, leaving only a skeleton crew on board and were picked up by HMS Echo (H 23) (Cdr S.H.K. Spurgeon, DSC, RAN), the British A/S trawler HMS Cape Arcona and ORP Burza (H 73) (LtCdr Pitulko), which took the ship in tow until she was relieved by HMS Marauder (W 98) (Lt W.J. Hammond, RNR) and HMS Thames on passage to the Clyde. Later the tugs HMS Seaman (W 44) and Raider also participated in the salvage operation.

The salvage convoy, making four knots, was escorted by HMS Broke (D 83) (Cdr B.G. Scurfield, RN) and HMS Sardonyx (H 26) (LtCdr R.B.S. Tennant, RN) and had air cover from Sunderland flying boats during daylight. On 28 October, two of three torpedoes fired by U-32 which followed the convoy for almost 24 hours, struck the Empress of Britain and sank her northwest of Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal. 25 crew members and 20 passengers were lost.

Photo Credits: The Alexander Turnbull Library NZ