SS Empire Dell
{{short description|World War II merchant ship of the United Kingdom}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = | Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = Empire Dell | Ship owner = Ministry of War Transport | Ship operator = George Nisbet & Co | Ship registry = {{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Greenock, United Kingdom | Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Lithgows Ltd | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = 947 | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 26 May 1941 | Ship completed = | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = 11 May 1942 | Ship identification =*United Kingdom Official Number 167004
| Ship fate = Torpedoed and sunk 12 May 1942 | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = CAM ship | Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|7,065}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|432|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|56|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|34|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = {{convert|26|ft|3|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship range = | Ship power = {{convert|436|ihp|kW|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion = Triple expansion steam engine | Ship speed = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = 41, plus 7 RAF personnel | Ship notes = | Ship armament = 1 × Hawker Sea Hurricane }} |
{{location map|North Atlantic|width=304
|lat=53
|long=-29.95|caption=Location of the sinking of Empire Dell.
}}
SS Empire Dell was a {{GRT|7065}} CAM ship that was built in 1941 by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She served until May 1942, when she was torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-124|1940|2}} whilst a member of Convoy ONS 92.
Description
The ship was built in 1941 by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow.{{cite book |last1= Mitchell |first1=W.H. |last2=Sawyer |first2=L.A. |year=1995 |title=The Empire Ships |page=not cited |publisher= Lloyd's of London Press Ltd |location= London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong |isbn=1-85044-275-4}} She was yard number 947.{{cite web |url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=18272 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526085359/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=18272 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=26 May 2011 |title=Launched 1941: ss EMPIRE DELL |publisher=Clydesite |accessdate=11 June 2011}}
The ship was {{convert|432|ft|2|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|56|ft|2|in|m|2}}. She had a depth of {{convert|34|ft|2|in|m|2}} and a draught of {{convert|26|ft|3|in|m|2}}. She was assessed at {{GRT|7,065|disp=long}}, {{NRT|5,168|disp=long}}.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a1066.pdf |title=Lloyd's Register, Navires a vapeur et a moteurs |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=15 July 2011}}
The ship was propelled by a {{convert|436|ihp|kW|lk=on}} triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of {{convert|23+1/2|in|cm}}, {{convert|37+1/2|in|cm}} and {{convert|68|in|cm}} diameter by {{convert|48|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by Rankin & Blackmore Ltd, Greenock.
She could embark and operate a Hawker Sea Hurricane aircraft via a catapult. Her crew numbered 41, plus seven Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel.
History
Empire Dell was built for the MoWT. She was launched on 26 May 1941. She was placed under the management of George Nisbet & Co Ltd, Glasgow.{{cite web|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1634.html |title=Empire Dell |publisher=Uboat |accessdate=11 June 2011}} Empire Dell was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 167004 and Code Letters BCMD. Her port of registry was Greenock.
Empire Dell departed from the Clyde on 11 July 1941 for the Belfast Lough, from where she sailed on 16 July to join Convoy OB 347,{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=EMPIRE%20DELL~armain |title=Empire Dell |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} which departed from Liverpool, Lancashire that day and dispersed at sea on 31 July.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ob2/index.html?ob.php?convoy=347!~obmain |title=Convoy OB.347 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} she then sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, arriving on 2 August. Laden with grain, she departed from Halifax on 10 August as a member of Convoy HX 144, which arrived at Liverpool on 30 August. Empire Dell was transferred to Convoy SC 40,{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html?hx.php?convoy=144!~hxmain |title=Convoy SC.40 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} which had departed from Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia on 10 August and arrived at Liverpool on 29 August.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html?sc.php?convoy=40!~scmain |title=Convoy SC.40 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}}
Empire Dell was a member of Convoy ON 16, which departed from Liverpool on 13 September and dispersed at sea on 27 September.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/on/index.html?onz.php?convoy=16!~onzmain |title=Convoy ON.16 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} She sailed to Halifax, arriving on 5 October. She departed from Halifax a week later and sailed to Sydney, arriving the next day. Laden with a cargo of wheat, Empire Dell was a member of Convoy SC 50, which departed from Sydney on 17 October and arrived at Liverpool on 4 November.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html?sc.php?convoy=50!~scmain |title=Convoy SC.50 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} She left the convoy at the Belfast Lough on 3 November to join Convoy BB 97, which departed on 6 November and arrived at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire the next day.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/bb/index.html?bb.php?convoy=97!~bbmain |title=Convoy BB.97 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} She sailed on to Avonmouth, Somerset, arriving on 8 November. She left four days later and sailed to Cardiff, Glamorgan, arriving on 13 November.
Empire Dell departed from Cardiff on 22 November and sailed to Liverpool, arriving on 24 November. She was a member of Convoy ON 40, which departed on 25 November and dispersed at sea on 4 December.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/on/index.html?onz.php?convoy=40!~onzmain |title=Convoy ON.40 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} She detached from the convoy and put into the Clyde, arriving on 27 November. She sailed from the Clyde the next day to join Convoy OG 77, which departed from Milford Haven on 24 November and arrived at Gibraltar on 13 December.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/og/index.html?og.php?convoy=77!~ogmain |title=Convoy OG.77 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} She departed from Gibraltar on 29 December for Huelva, Spain, arriving the next day.
Empire Dell departed from Huelva on 7 January 1942 for Gibraltar, arriving the same day. Laden with a cargo of iron ore, she departed from Gibraltar on 11 January as a member of Convoy SL 97G, which arrived at Liverpool on 24 January.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sl2/index.html?sl.php?convoy=97G!~slmain |title=Convoy SL.97G |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} She sailed to the Clyde, arriving on 23 January. Empire Dell departed from the Clyde on 24 February to join Convoy OG 80, which departed from Milford Haven on 22 February and arrived at Gibraltar on 8 March.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/og/index.html?og.php?convoy=80!~ogmain |title=Convoy OG.80 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} She left Gibraltar on 26 March, returning on 30 March. Carrying a cargo of iron ore, she departed from Gibraltar on 5 April as a member of Convoy HG 81, which arrived at Liverpool on 15 April.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hg/index.html?hg.php?convoy=81!~hgmain |title=Convoy HG.81 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}}
Empire Dell was a member of Convoy ON 92, which departed from Liverpool on 6 May and arrived at Halifax on 21 May.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/on/index.html?onz.php?convoy=92!~onzmain |title=Convoy ON.92 |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=11 June 2011}} At around 02:00 (German time) on 12 May, Empire Dell was hit by a torpedo fired by {{GS|U-124|1940|2}}, which was under the command of Kapitänleutnant Johann Mohr. U-124 was operating as part of Wolf pack Hecht.{{cite web |url=http://uboat.net/ops/wolfpacks/31.html |title=Hecht (e. Pike) |publisher=Uboat |access-date=11 June 2011}} She sank at {{coord|53|00|N|29|57|W|display=inline, title}}. Two of her crew of 48, which included seven RAF personnel, were killed. Twenty-one survivors were rescued by the convoy rescue ship {{SS|Bury||2}} and 25 were rescued by {{HMCS|Shediac|K110|6}}. They were landed at St John's, Newfoundland on 17 and 16 May respectively. Those lost on Empire Dell are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.{{cite web |url=http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/Empire%20Day%20to%20Empire%20Engineer.html |title=Empire Day to Empire Engineer |publisher=Brian Watson |access-date=11 June 2011}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://uboat.net/media/allies/merchants/br/empire_dell.jpg Photo of Empire Dell]
{{Lithgows ships}}
{{CAM ships}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{May 1942 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Empire Dell}}
Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Maritime incidents in May 1942