SS Empire Dew
{{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 Dew | Ship owner = Ministry of War Transport | Ship operator = | Ship registry = {{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Greenock, United Kingdom | Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Lithgows Ltd | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = 940 | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 21 November 1940 | Ship completed = January 1941 | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = 2 February 1941 | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = 12 June 1941 | Ship identification =*United Kingdom Official Number 166993
| Ship fate = Torpedoed and sunk | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Cargo ship | Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|7,005}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|432|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|56|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|26|ft|4|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = {{convert|34|ft|2|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 = 42 (including DEMS gunners) | Ship notes = | Ship armament = }} |
{{location map|North Atlantic|width=304
|lat=51.15
|long=-30.267
|caption=Location where Empire Dew was torpedoed.
}}
Empire Dew was a {{GRT|7,005}} Cargo ship that was built in 1940 by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) . She was torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-48|1939|2}} in 1941.
Description
The ship was built in 1940 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 940.{{cite web |url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=18265 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728225122/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=18265 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=28 July 2012 |title=Launched 1940: ss EMPIRE DEW |publisher=Clydesite |accessdate=15 June 2011}}
The ship was {{convert|432|ft|0|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|7,005}}. {{NRT|5,135}}.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/40/40a1060.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |accessdate=15 July 2011}}
The ship was propelled by a {{convert|436|ihp|kW}} 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.
History
Empire Dew was built for the MoWT. Launched on 21 November 1940, she was completed in January 1941. She was placed under the management of R Chapman & Son Ltd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.{{cite web |url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/990.html |title=Empire Dew |publisher=Uboat |accessdate=15 June 2011}} The Official Number 166993 and Code Letters GPFM were allocated. Her port of registry was Greenock.{{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 |accessdate=16 June 2011}}
Empire Dew departed from the Clyde on her maiden voyage on 2 February 1941 as a member of Convoy OB 281, which departed from Liverpool, Lancashire on 1 February and dispersed at sea on 5 February.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ob2/index.html?ob.php?convoy=281!~obmain |title=Convoy OB.281 |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=15 June 2011}} Her destination was Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where she arrived on 24 February.{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=EMPIRE%20DEW~armain |title=EMPIRE DEW |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=28 May 2011}} From Halifax, a return trip was made to Saint John, New Brunswick, arriving back at Halifax on 10 March. Empire Dew was a member of Convoy SC 26, which departed from Halifax on 20 March and arrived at Liverpool on 8 April. She was carrying a cargo of flour destined for Leith, East Lothian.{{cite web |url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/sc26.html |title=CONVOY SC 26 |publisher=Warsailors |accessdate=15 June 2011}} She left the convoy at the Clyde on 8 April. Empire Dew was a member of Convoy WN 114, which departed from the Clyde on 13 April and arrived at Methil, Fife on 16 April.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/wn/index.html?wn.php?convoy=114!~wnmain |title=Convoy WN.114 |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=15 June 2011}} She departed from Methil on 28 April as a member of Convoy FS 475, which arrived at Southend, Essex on 30 April.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/fs/index.html?fs.php?convoy=0475!~fsmain |title=Convoy FS.475 = Convoy FS.75 / Phase 5 |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=15 June 2011}}
Empire Dew was a member of Convoy EC 27, which departed from Southend on 31 May and arrived at the Clyde on 6 June.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ec/index.html?ec.php?convoy=27!~ecmain |title=Convoy EC.27 |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=15 June 2011}} She left the convoy at Oban, Argyllshire on 5 June, to join Convoy OG 64, which departed from Liverpool on 4 June and arrived at Gibraltar on 18 June.{{cite web |url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/og/index.html?og.php?convoy=64!~ogmain |title=Convoy OG.64 |publisher=Convoyweb |accessdate=15 June 2011}} She detached from the convoy and headed for Father Point, New Brunswick, Canada. Her intended destination was Montreal.
At 02:51 (German time) on 12 June, Empire Dew was torpedoed when north of the Azores, Portugal ({{coord|51|09|N|30|16|W|display=inline, title}}) by {{GS|U-48|1939|2}}, under the command of Herbert Schultze. 23 crew members died. Seventeen crew and two DEMS gunners were rescued by {{HNoMS|St. Albans|I15|6}}. They were landed at Liverpool. Those killed serving on Empire Dew are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Lithgows ships}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{June 1941 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Empire Dew}}
Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Maritime incidents in June 1941