- SS Empire Brigade
The SS "Empire Brigade" was a British steam merchant ship. She served during two World Wars, before being sunk whilst carrying supplies to the UK during the
Second World War .Pre war career
"Empire Brigade" was built in the yards of Sir John Priestman & Co Ltd, Southwick,
Sunderland , being completed in 1912. She entered service as SS "Hannington Court" with Court Line and served with them until 1936, when she was sold to the Italian shipping line owned by Achille Lauro and based inNaples . They renamed her "Elios". She was in port in Newcastle when Italy entered the war, and she was consequently seized on10 June 1940 by the Ministry of Shipping. They renamed her "Empire Brigade" and passed her to Cairns, Noble & Co Ltd, ofNewcastle-upon-Tyne to operate for them. She was homeported inLondon .Wartime career and sinking
She took part in a number of local convoys, sailing to different ports in the UK. Her first international convoy came when she joined the ill-fated
convoy SC-7 . "Empire Brigade" sailed fromMontreal toSydney, Nova Scotia ,Canada , from where the convoy sailed on5 October 1940 , bound forLeith via theTyne . "Empire Brigade" carried a cargo of 750 tons ofcopper , 129 tons offerrous alloy s and 980 tons ofsteel , and as under the command of her master, Sydney Wyman Parks. The convoy had only a single escort to start with, the sloop HMS "Scarborough". The convoy was located by awolf pack ofU-boat s from16 October , and they quickly overwhelmed the convoy, sinking many of the ships. The "Empire Brigade" was torpedoed and sunk by "U-99" at 01.38 hours on19 October , whilst some 100 miles east-southeast ofRockall . Out of a total complement of 41, five crew members and one gunner were lost. The master and 34 crew members were picked up by HMS "Fowey" and landed atGreenock .References
* [http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/625.html SS Empire Brigade at Uboat.net]
* [http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hague/index.html?search3.php?query=%22Lotus%22&Submit=Find+Vessel~haguemain Arnold Hague's convoy database]
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