SS Eastern
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image = |Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header = |Ship name = *Empire Dynasty (1944–46)
|Ship owner = *Ministry of War Transport (1944–46)
|Ship operator = *Lamport and Holt Line (1944–46)
|Ship registry = *{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Sunderland (1944–46)
|Ship route = |Ship ordered = |Ship builder = JL Thompson & Sons Ltd |Ship original cost = |Ship yard number = |Ship way number = |Ship laid down = |Ship launched = 22 May 1944 |Ship completed = November 1944 |Ship commissioned = |Ship decommissioned = |Ship acquired = |Ship maiden voyage = 21 November 1944 |Ship in service = |Ship out of service = 4 July 1967 |Ship identification = *UK official number 180145 (1944–65)
|Ship fate = Scrapped |Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header = |Header caption = |Ship class = Cargo liner |Ship tonnage = *{{GRT|9905}}
|Ship displacement = |Ship length = {{convert|475|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam = {{convert|65|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height = |Ship draught = {{convert|42|ft|8|in|m|2}} |Ship depth = {{convert|40.0|m|ftin}} |Ship decks = 2 |Ship deck clearance = |Ship range = |Ship power = |Ship propulsion = 2 × steam turbines |Ship speed = |Ship capacity = |Ship sensors=wireless direction finding, echo sounding device, gyrocompass |Ship crew = |Ship notes = |Ship armament = }} |
Eastern was a {{GRT|9,905}} cargo liner that was built in 1944 as Empire Dynasty by J.L. Thompson and Sons, Sunderland, Co Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). The ship was sold into merchant service in 1946 and renamed Eastern A sale to Hong Kong in 1965 saw her renamed Dori. She was sold for scrap in July 1967.
Description
The ship was built in 1944 by J.L. Thompson and Sons, Sunderland, Co Durham.{{cite book |last1= Mitchell |first1=WH |last2=Sawyer |first2=LA |year=1995 |title=The Empire Ships |page=not cited |publisher= Lloyd's of London Press Ltd |place= London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong |isbn=1-85044-275-4}} Her yard number was 631.{{cite web |url= http://www.sunderlandships.com/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=105235&vessel=EMPIRE+DYNASTY |title=Empire Dynasty |work=Wear Built Ships |accessdate=28 June 2020}} The ship was {{convert|475.4|ft|m}} long, with a beam of {{convert|64.1|ft|m}}. She had a depth of {{convert|40.0|m|ftin|0}} and draught of {{convert|42|ft|8|in|m|1}}. She was assessed at {{GRT|9905}}, {{NRT|7,107}}, 8,891 tonnage under deck{{cite web |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/45/45a0335.pdf |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships, 1945–46 |publisher=Lloyd's Register |accessdate=28 June 2020}} and {{DWT|13530}}.
The ship was driven by twin steam turbines, double reduction geared, driving a single screw. The turbines were made by Richardsons Westgarth & Company, Hartlepool, County Durham and between them they developed 1,226 NHP. Two water-tube boilers supplied the turbines with steam at 490 lbf/in2.
History
Empire Dynasty was built in 1943 by J.L. Thompson and Sons, Sunderland, Co Durham, for the MoWT. She was completed in November. She was given the United Kingdom official number 180145 and call sign GFTV. Her port of registry was Sunderland. She was placed under the management of Lamport and Holt Line Ltd.{{cite web |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/43/43b1101.pdf |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships 1943–44 |publisher=Lloyd's Register |accessdate=28 June 2020}}
Empire Dynasty was towed from Sunderland to the Tyne on 3 June 1944. She underwent trials on 19 November before departing from the Tyne on 21 November to join Convoy FN 1547,{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=EMPIRE%20DYNASTY~armain |title=EMPIRE DYNASTY |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=24 July 2011}} which had departed from Southend, Essex the previous day and arrived at Methil, Fife on 22 November.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/fn/index.html?fn.php?convoy=1547!~fnmain |title=Convoy FN.1547 = Convoy FN.47 / Phase 16 |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=24 July 2011}} She departed from Methil on 24 December as a member of Convoy FS 1676, which arrived at Southend on 26 December. She then joined Convoy UC 50B, which departed from Liverpool, Lancashire on 28 December and arrived at New York, United States on 8 January 1945. Empire Dynasty put into Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire with defects,{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/uc/index.html?uc.php?convoy=50B!~ucmain |title=Convoy UC.50B |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=24 July 2011}} arriving on 1 January.
Empire Dynasty departed from Milford Haven on 11 January to join Convoy UC 52A, which departed from Liverpool on 10 January and arrived at New York on 21 January.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/uc/index.html?uc.php?convoy=52A!~ucmain |title=Convoy UC.52A |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=24 July 2011}} She arrived at St Helena on 24 January, departing the next day for Cape Town, South Africa, where she arrived on 31 January. She departed on 7 February for Port Elizabeth, arriving the next day and sailing two days later for Durban, where she arrived on 11 February. Empire Dynasty departed on 16 February for Beira, Mozambique, arriving on 18 February. She departed on 24 February for Lourenço Marques, arriving two days later. She sailed on 3 March for Durban, arriving the next day and sailing on 10 March for Cape Town, where she arrived on 12 March. Empire Dynasty departed from Cape Town on 18 March and sailed to Walvis Bay, South-West Africa, where she arrived on 20 March, departing six days later for Gibraltar, arriving on 8 April. Carrying general cargo and {{convert|1645|LT|t}} of mails, she departed from Gibraltar on 12 April as a member of Convoy MKF 42, which arrived at Liverpool on 17 April.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/mkf/index.html?mkf.php?convoy=42!~mkfmain |title=Convoy MKF.42 |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=24 July 2011}}
On 14 May 1945, Supermarine Spitfire Mk. FRXIV NM817 was loaded aboard Empire Dynasty.{{cite web |url= http://www.spitfires.ukf.net/p081.htm |title=Spitfire aircraft production Page 081 |publisher=Spitfires |accessdate=24 July 2011}} She was a member of Convoy UC 68A, which departed from Liverpool on 17 May and arrived at New York on 28 May.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/uc/index.html?uc.php?convoy=68A!~ucmain |title=Convoy UC.68A |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=24 July 2011}} She detached from the convoy and sailed to Port Said, Egypt, arriving on 28 May. Empire Dynasty then sailed to Suez, from where she departed on 29 May for Aden, arriving on 2 June and departing that day for Bombay, India, arriving on 7 June. The Spitfire was unloaded here. Empire Dynasty departed from Bombay on 8 July and sailed to Beira, arriving on 17 July. She departed on 26 July for Durban, arriving two days later and departing on 4 August for Cape Town, where she arrived on 7 August. She departed on 12 August for London, arriving on 30 August.
Empire Dynasty departed from London on 19 October for Gibraltar, where she arrived on 23 October, departing the next day for Port Said. She arrived there on 31 October and the sailed to Suez, from where she departed on 1 November for Bombay, arriving on 11 November. She departed on 2 December for Karachi, arriving two days later. Empire Dynasty departed from Karachi on 7 December for Bombay, from where she departed on 15 December for Suez, arriving on 25 December. She then sailed to Port Said, from where she sailed on 26 December for Haifa, Palestine, arriving the next day.
In May 1946{{cite web |url=http://www.poheritage.com/our-history/company-guides/eastern-australian-steam-navigation-company |title=Eastern & Australian Steam Navigation Company |publisher=P & O Heritage |accessdate=24 July 2011}} Empire Dynasty was sold to the Eastern & Australian Steamship Co Ltd and was renamed Eastern. On 8 January 1953 the Swedish cargo ship {{MV|Avanti||2}} broke in two off Okinawa, Japan. Eastern rescued all 40 crew.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Crew's Ordeal In Pacific Gale |date=9 January 1953 |page=6 |issue=52515 |column=F}} On 26 September 1954 Eastern was on a voyage from Yokohama to Kure, Japan when she was caught in Typhoon Marie, suffering some damage.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=1,500 Deaths in Typhoon |date=28 September 1954 |page=8 |issue=53048 |column=A}}
In 1965 Eastern was sold to Eddie Steamship Co Ltd, Hong Kong and renamed Dori. She was operated under the management of WH Eddie Hsu. Dori was sold for scrap on 4 July 1967 while lying at Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.flotilla-australia.com/images/eastern11-book.jpg Photo of Eastern]
{{Empire ships}}
{{1954 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eastern}}
Category:Ships built on the River Wear
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Steamships of Hong Kong
Category:Merchant ships of Hong Kong