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SS Empire Duke
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SS Empire Duke
Empire Duke was a 7,067 GRT cargo ship that was used during the Second World War in investigations into the metallurgical problems that Liberty ships were suffering from.
Empire Duke was built in 1943 by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as an Empire ship.
She was transferred to France in 1945 and renamed Lieutenant J Le Meur. She was sold to Morocco in 1949 and renamed Zelidja. In 1955, she was sold to Liberia and renamed Propontis, not being renamed after a sale in 1957. She served until 1966, when she was scrapped in Taiwan.
The ship was built in 1943 by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. She was yard number 628.
The ship was 432 feet 8 inches (131.88 m) long, with a beam of 57 feet 2 inches (17.42 m). She had a depth of 35 feet 9 inches (10.90 m) and a draught of 26 feet 11 inches (8.20 m). She was assessed at 7,240 GRT, 4,179 NRT.
The ship was propelled by a 510 nhp triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 24+1⁄2 inches (62 cm), 39 inches (99 cm) and 70 inches (180 cm) diameter by 48 inches (120 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Duncan Stewart & Co Ltd, Glasgow. It drove a single screw propeller and could propel the ship at 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).
Empire Duke was launched on 20 July 1943 and completed in November. The United Kingdom Official Number 180048 and Code Letters GCJW were allocated. Her port of registry was Sunderland and she was placed under the management of H Hogarth & Sons Ltd. Armament consisted of either a 4-in or a 4.7-inch gun, and six machine guns.
Empire Duke departed from Sunderland on 2 December for the Tyne, arriving that day. She departed from the Tyne on 18 December to join Convoy FN 1208, which had departed from Southend, Essex the previous day and arrived at Methil, Fife on 19 December. She then joined Convoy EN 322, which departed on 21 December and arrived at Loch Ewe on 23 December. Empire Duke sailed on to Oban, Argyllshire, arriving the next day. Laden with a cargo of coal, she departed on 26 December to join Convoy OS 63/KMS 37G, which departed from Liverpool, Lancashire on 25 December and split at sea on 7 January 1944. Convoy OS 63 arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone on 17 January. Empire Duke was in the part of the convoy that formed Convoy KMS 37G, which arrived at Gibraltar on 7 January. She then joined Convoy KMS 37, which departed on 9 January and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 20 January. Empire Duke left the convoy at Oran, Algeria, where she arrived on 10 January. She departed on 25 January to join Convoy GUS 28, which had departed from Port Said on 15 January and arrived at the Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States on 15 February. She left the convoy at Casablanca, Morocco, She departed on 1 February, joining Convoy SL 147, which had departed from Freetown on 22 January and rendezvoused at sea with Convoy MKS 38 on 2 February. The combined convoys arrived at Liverpool on 13 February. Empire Duke sailed on to Loch Ewe, arriving on 12 February and joining Convoy WN 544, which arrived at Methil on 14 February.
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SS Empire Duke
Empire Duke was a 7,067 GRT cargo ship that was used during the Second World War in investigations into the metallurgical problems that Liberty ships were suffering from.
Empire Duke was built in 1943 by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as an Empire ship.
She was transferred to France in 1945 and renamed Lieutenant J Le Meur. She was sold to Morocco in 1949 and renamed Zelidja. In 1955, she was sold to Liberia and renamed Propontis, not being renamed after a sale in 1957. She served until 1966, when she was scrapped in Taiwan.
The ship was built in 1943 by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. She was yard number 628.
The ship was 432 feet 8 inches (131.88 m) long, with a beam of 57 feet 2 inches (17.42 m). She had a depth of 35 feet 9 inches (10.90 m) and a draught of 26 feet 11 inches (8.20 m). She was assessed at 7,240 GRT, 4,179 NRT.
The ship was propelled by a 510 nhp triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 24+1⁄2 inches (62 cm), 39 inches (99 cm) and 70 inches (180 cm) diameter by 48 inches (120 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Duncan Stewart & Co Ltd, Glasgow. It drove a single screw propeller and could propel the ship at 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).
Empire Duke was launched on 20 July 1943 and completed in November. The United Kingdom Official Number 180048 and Code Letters GCJW were allocated. Her port of registry was Sunderland and she was placed under the management of H Hogarth & Sons Ltd. Armament consisted of either a 4-in or a 4.7-inch gun, and six machine guns.
Empire Duke departed from Sunderland on 2 December for the Tyne, arriving that day. She departed from the Tyne on 18 December to join Convoy FN 1208, which had departed from Southend, Essex the previous day and arrived at Methil, Fife on 19 December. She then joined Convoy EN 322, which departed on 21 December and arrived at Loch Ewe on 23 December. Empire Duke sailed on to Oban, Argyllshire, arriving the next day. Laden with a cargo of coal, she departed on 26 December to join Convoy OS 63/KMS 37G, which departed from Liverpool, Lancashire on 25 December and split at sea on 7 January 1944. Convoy OS 63 arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone on 17 January. Empire Duke was in the part of the convoy that formed Convoy KMS 37G, which arrived at Gibraltar on 7 January. She then joined Convoy KMS 37, which departed on 9 January and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 20 January. Empire Duke left the convoy at Oran, Algeria, where she arrived on 10 January. She departed on 25 January to join Convoy GUS 28, which had departed from Port Said on 15 January and arrived at the Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States on 15 February. She left the convoy at Casablanca, Morocco, She departed on 1 February, joining Convoy SL 147, which had departed from Freetown on 22 January and rendezvoused at sea with Convoy MKS 38 on 2 February. The combined convoys arrived at Liverpool on 13 February. Empire Duke sailed on to Loch Ewe, arriving on 12 February and joining Convoy WN 544, which arrived at Methil on 14 February.