Empire Trader (British Steam passenger ship) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII (original) (raw)
Ships hit by U-boats
British Steam passenger ship
Empire Trader under her former name Tainui
| Name | Empire Trader | |
|---|---|---|
| Type: | Steam passenger ship | |
| Tonnage | 9,990 tons | |
| Completed | 1908 - Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | |
| Owner | Shaw, Savill & Albion Co Ltd, London | |
| Homeport | London | |
| Date of attack | 21 Feb 1943 | Nationality:  British |
| Fate | Sunk by U-92 (Adolf Oelrich) | |
| Position | 48° 25'N, 30° 10'W - Grid BD 5326 | |
| Complement | 106 (0 dead and 106 survivors). | |
| Convoy | ON-166 (straggler) | |
| Route | Newport, Mon. - Belfast Lough - New York | |
| Cargo | 985 tons of chemicals | |
| History | Completed in October 1908 as Tainui for Shaw, Savill & Albion Co Ltd, London. 1940 retrieved from breakers yard and renamed Empire Trader by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | |
| Notes on event | On 21 Feb 1943 the Empire Trader was ordered sail for the Azores with HMCS Dauphin (K 157) (Lt R.A.S. MacNeil, RCNR) after the ship straggled from convoy ON-166.At 22.25 hours on 21 February, U-92 fired two spreads of two torpedoes from a distance of 5000 metres at the Empire Trader (Master Eric Thomas Baker) north of the Azores. One torpedo of the first spread hit on the port side at #1 hold. The vessel continued at 5 knots, but had to be abandoned the next day and the corvette tried to scuttle her with gunfire on Admiralty orders at 20.00 hours in 48°27N/29°47W. On 23 February, the drifting wreck was last seen by aircraft in 47°40N/28°46W.The master, 89 crew members and 16 gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Stockport (Master Thomas Ernest Fea, OBE), transferred to HMCS Dauphin (K 157) and landed at St. Johns. | |
| On board | We have details of 2 people who were on board. |
Location of attack on Empire Trader.
ship sunk.
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