HMS Cicero (F170)
{{other ships|HMS Cicero}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = HMS Cicero (F170).jpg | Ship image size = 300px | Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = | Ship flag = | Ship class = Infantry landing ship | Ship name = *Cape St Vincent (1944)
| Ship owner = *United States Navy (1944)
| Ship operator = *Owner operated except:-
| Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California | Ship yard no = 355 | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 16 November 1943 | Ship completed = January 1944 | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = January 1945 | Ship recommissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = Returned to Ministry of War Transport in September 1945 | Ship renamed = | Ship reclassified = | Ship refit = | Ship captured = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship fate = *Returned to US Navy in 1946
| Ship registry = *{{flagicon|United States|1912}} US Navy (1943–44)
| Ship identification = *{{IMO|5007728}}
}} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship tonnage = *{{GRT|7,177}} | Ship length = {{convert|396|ft|5|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|60|ft|1|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = {{convert|35|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship draft = | Ship propulsion = 2 x Steam turbines (Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Co, Essington, Philadelphia), double reduction geared to 1 screw | Ship speed = | Ship range = | Ship endurance = | Ship test depth = | Ship boats = | Ship capacity = | Ship complement = | Ship time to activate = | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = *1 × 4 in gun
| Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship motto = | Ship nickname = | Ship badge = | Ship honours = | Ship notes = }} |
HMS Cicero was an infantry landing ship in service with the Royal Navy during the late stages of the Second World War.
Career
=Wartime=
She was built by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California as the Cape St Vincent, and transferred under the terms of lend lease shortly after being completed in January 1944 under the name Empire Arquebus.{{cite book |last=Colledge |title=Ships of the Royal Navy |page=70}} She was taken over by the Ministry of War Transport and operated by Donaldson Bros & Black Ltd. Empire Arquebus was a member of Convoy CU 15, which sailed from New York on 22 February 1944. She was carrying a cargo of fish and personnel. Empire Arquebus transferred to Convoy HX 280 at sea on 29 February.{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/cu15.html |title=CONVOY CU 15 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=8 January 2009}} Convoy HX 280 arrived at Liverpool on 9 March.{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hx280.html |title=CONVOY HX 280 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=8 January 2009}}
She took part in the Normandy landings, carrying Mk3 Landing Craft Support (Medium) 78, 109 and 112 of the 542 Landing Craft Assault Flotilla and troops from the Hampshire Regiment to Gold Beach. After the Normandy Landings, Empire Arquebus was laid up in the Clyde.{{cite web |url=http://www.combinedops.com/524%20LCA.htm |title=524 LCA FLOTILLA |publisher=combinedops.com |access-date=8 January 2009 |archive-date=29 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129215326/https://www.combinedops.com/524%20LCA.htm |url-status=dead }} Empire Arquebus later served in the Pacific.
In January 1945 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and commissioned as HMS Cicero, under which name she served out the remainder of the war, although it would appear that she remained named as Empire Arquebus. In 1945, Empire Arquebus was used to transport troops from Sydney and Brisbane via New Ireland, New Britain and Manus to Ponam. During this journey, the ship was infested by flying beetles which had got aboard in bales of tobacco.{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/MONABS/Nabaron-1.html#openModal7|title=The reminiscences of Telegraphist Kenneth Peterkin. |publisher=Royal Navy Research Archive |access-date=8 January 2009 }} The ship arrived at Ponam on 25 March 1945.{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/MONABS/Nabaron-1.html#close|title=Operations at Ponam, Admiralty Islands |publisher=Royal Navy Research Archive |access-date=8 January 2009 }} Surplus to requirements after the war's end, she was returned to the Ministry of War Transport in September 1945, which returned her to Donaldson Bros & Black under her original name of Empire Arquebus.{{cite web |url=http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireA.html |title=EMPIRE - A |access-date=2008-11-24|publisher=mariners-l.co.uk}}
=Postwar=
Empire Arquebus sailed with Donaldson Bros & Black until 1946, when she was returned to the US Navy. She was laid up until being sold to the Egyptian company Société Misr de Navigation Maritime in November 1946, taking the new name Al Sudan. She sailed with them for the next few years, making voyages carrying pilgrims to Jeddah, and at times operating under charter.{{cite book |last=Plowman |title=Australian Migrant Ships |page=9}} She made a number of voyages to Australia.
She was taken over by the Egyptian Government in 1959, during the period of nationalisation, and by 1961 was part of the nationalised United Arab Maritime Company, who proceeded to operate her for the next 12 years. In 1973 she returned to being owned by an Egyptian company, this time the Egyptian Navigation Company.{{Cite ship register|register=MSI|id=1169819|access-date=2008-11-24}} She was sold for scrapping in 1980, and laid up at Suez. She spent several years in this state, but work was finally started in July 1984 and she was completely broken up by 28 March 1987.
Official Number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers.
Empire Arquebus had the UK Official Number 169819 and used the Code Letters MYMS.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/43/43b1113.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=2008-12-23}} Al Sudan had the Egyptian Official Number 104 and used the Code Letters SUDS.
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{Cite Colledge2006}}
- {{Cite book |last=Plowman |first=Peter |title=Australian Migrant Ships 1946-1977 |year=2006 |publisher=Rosenberg Publishing |isbn=1-877058-40-8 }}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireA.html |title=EMPIRE - A |access-date=2008-11-24 |first=Ted|last=Finch |year=2001 |work=THE 'EMPIRE' SHIPS |publisher=mariners-l.co.uk}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/list?search_op=OR&IDNo=1169819 |title=Search result for "1169819" |access-date=2008-11-24 |first=R|last=Haworth |year=2006 |publisher=Miramar Ship Index}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20111002120723/http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20E/slides/Empire%20Arquebus-01.html Photo of Empire Arquebus]
{{Type C1-S ships}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cicero (F170)}}
Category:Ships built in Los Angeles
Category:Troop ships of the Royal Navy
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Merchant ships of Egypt