SS Empire Cloud
{{short description|World War II merchant ship of the United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = | Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = Empire Cloud | Ship owner = Ministry of War Transport | Ship operator = Allen, Black & Co Ltd | Ship registry = {{Flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Sunderland | Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 27 December 1940 | Ship completed = April 1941 | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = 21 August 1942 | Ship identification =*Code Letters BCGC
| Ship fate = Torpedoed and sunk on 21 August 1942 | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Cargo ship | Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|5,969}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|401|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|54|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship depth = {{convert|33|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship sail plan = | Ship power = Triple expansion steam engine | Ship propulsion = Screw propeller | Ship speed = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = 46, plus 8 DEMS gunners. | Ship notes = | Ship armament = }} |
{{location map|Venezuela|width=304
|lat=10.9
|long=-61.167
|caption=Location of the sinking of Empire Cloud off Venezuela.
}}
Empire Cloud was a {{GRT|5969|link=off}} cargo ship which was built in 1940 by William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Sunderland for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was torpedoed on her maiden voyage, but repaired and returned to service. In 1942, she was torpedoed and sank whilst under tow to port.
Description
The ship was built by William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. She was launched on 27 December 1940 and completed in April 1941.{{cite book | first = and Sawyer, L A| last = Mitchell, W H | year = 1995| title = The Empire Ships| publisher = Lloyd's of London Press Ltd| location = London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong|isbn=1-85044-275-4}}
The ship was {{convert|401|ft|0|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|54|ft|0|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|33|ft|2|in|m|2}}. She had a GRT of 5,669 and a NRT of 3,546.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a1061.pdf|title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS|publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=22 April 2010}}
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of {{convert|23+1/2|in|cm}}, {{convert|38|in|cm}} and {{convert|66|in|cm}} diameter by {{convert|45|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by George Clarke (1938) Ltd, Sunderland.
History
Empire Cloud was built for the MoWT. She was placed under the management of Allen, Black & Co Ltd. Her port of registry was Sunderland. The Code Letters BCGC and United Kingdom Official Number 168668 were allocated.
Empire Cloud was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
;OB 318
Convoy OB 318 departed from Liverpool on 2 May 1941 and dispersed at sea on 10 May.{{cite web|url=http://warsailors.com/convoys/ob318.html |title=CONVOY OB 318 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=23 April 2010}} Empire Cloud was on her maiden voyage. At 14:28 on 9 May, Empire Cloud was torpedoed and damaged by {{GS|U-201||2}} when east northeast of Cape Farewell ({{coord|61|00|N|32|30|W}}). Five crew were killed, the survivors were picked up by {{HMS|Nigella|K19|6}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4105-32MAY01.htm |title=Naval Events, May 1941, Part 1 of 2, Thursday 1st – Wednesday 14th |publisher=Naval History |access-date=23 April 2010}} The ship was abandoned, but {{HMS|St Apollo}} assisted in the protection of her while the Dutch tug Thames was despatched from Reykjavík, Iceland. {{HMS|Hollyhock|K64|6}} also assisted Empire Cloud.{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-20Cor-Flower-Hollyhock.htm |title=HMS Hollyhock (K64) |publisher=Naval History |access-date=23 April 2010}} Thames arrived on 13 May and towed Empire Cloud at {{convert|6|kn|km/h}} to Greenock,{{cite web|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2073.html|title=Empire Cloud|publisher=Uboat |access-date=23 April 2010}} where she arrived on 20 May. She was repaired and returned to service.
;HX 167
Empire Cloud may have sailed in Convoy HX 167, which departed Halifax, Nova Scotia on 27 December 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 11 January 1942.{{cite web|url=http://warsailors.com/convoys/hx167.html |title=CONVOY HX 167 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=23 April 2010}} She is noted under Convoy SC 63 as having come from HX 167.
;SC 63
Convoy SC 63 departed from Sydney, Cape Breton on 3 January 1942 and dispersed at sea on 13 January. Empire Cloud was carrying a general cargo and was bound for Manchester.{{cite web|url=http://warsailors.com/convoys/sc63.html |title=CONVOY SC 63 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=23 April 2010}}
;TAW(S)
Empire Cloud was a member of Convoy TAW(S). At about 10:10 on 19 August 1942, Empire Cloud was torpedoed by {{GS|U-564||2}} northeast of Trinidad with the loss of three crew members. The Dutch tug Roode Zee took her in tow, but she sank on 21 August at {{coord|10|54|N|62|10|W|display=inline,title}}. The surviving crew were rescued by other ships in the convoy. They were landed at Key West, Florida and Mobile, Alabama. Those lost on Empire Cloud are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.{{cite web |url=http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/Ship%20Index%20A-F.html |title=Ship Index A-F |publisher=Brian Watson |access-date=20 May 2011 |archive-date=6 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006025450/http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/Ship%20Index%20A-F.html |url-status=dead }}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{May 1941 shipwrecks}}
{{August 1942 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Empire Cloud}}
Category:Ships built on the River Wear
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Maritime incidents in May 1941
Category:Maritime incidents in August 1942