SS Empire Cabot explained

Empire Cabot was a cargo ship which was built in 1941 for the British Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was sold in 1945 and renamed Clearpool. In 1955 she was sold and renamed Grelmarion. A further change of name to Rachel happened in 1959 and she was scrapped later that year.

Description

Empire Cabot was built by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool for the MoWT. Built as yard number 1118,[1] she was launched on 9 July 1941 and completed in September.[2]

The ship was 419feet long, with a beam of 56feet and a depth of 33feet. She had a GRT of 6,715 and a NRT of 4,836. She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 22.5inches, 36inches and 65inches diameter by 48inches stroke. The engine was built by the Central Marine Engineering Works, West Hartlepool.[3] The engine drove a single screw propeller and could propel her at 10kn.[4]

History

Empire Cabot was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 168929. She used the Code Letters BCPM. She was owned by the MoWT and operated under the management of Glen & Co Ltd.[3]

Empire Cabot was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.

ON 19Convoy ON 19 departed from Liverpool on 21 September 1941 and from Loch Ewe on 23 September. It dispersed at sea on 7 October. Empire Cabot was in ballast and was bound for Tampa, Florida. She lost contact with the convoy at around 01:00 on 24 September off the Butt of Lewis.[5] She returned to Loch Ewe to await the next convoy.[6]
ON 21Convoy ON 21 departed Loch Ewe on 30 September 1941. Empire Cabot was bound for Hampton Roads.[6]

In 1942, management was transferred to Sir R Ropner & Co Ltd.[7]

ON 79Convoy ON 79 departed Reykjavík, Iceland on 22 March 1942.[6]
ON 95Convoy ON 95 departed Liverpool on 15 May 1942. Empire Cabot was bound for Tampa, Florida.[6]

Convoy OG.89On 28 August 1942 Empire Cabot loaded 28 Spitfire Vb|Spitfire Vc aircraft and 24 Hurricanes for Gibraltar arriving 19 September. The Spitfire aircraft were serial numbers AB535,[8] AR496, AR556, AR559, AR560, AR561,[9] EP444, EP470, EP473,[10] EP520, EP537, EP567, EP568, EP620, EP622, EP641, EP642, EP650, EP652, EP662, EP667, EP721, EP728,[11] EP790, EP817, EP823, EP832 and EP843.[12] The Empire Franklin delivered a further 27 Spitfires and the Empire Heath 17. 31 (or 32) of these aircraft were transferred to HMS Furious at Gibraltar and 29 flown off to Malta on 29 October as part of Operation Train.

SC 125Convoy SC 125 departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia on 31 March 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 15 April.[13] Empire Cabot was carrying a cargo of grain.[14]

In 1945, Empire Cabot was sold to Ropner's and renamed Clearpool.[2] On 1 March 1948, she was chartered by the Australian Shipping Board, returning to Ropner's on 8 December.[4] In 1955, Clearpool was sold to Cardigan Shipping Co Ltd, Cardiff and renamed Grelmarion. She was operated under the management of T Walter Gould Ltd. In 1959 she was sold to Bowring & Curry, Hamburg and renamed Rachel. She was operated under the management of Robert M Sloman Jr and was scrapped later that year in Hong Kong.[2] Those lost on Empire Cabot are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1929 to 1942 . Portcities Hartlepool . 18 February 2010.
  2. Book: Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A. 1995. The Empire Ships. Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong. 1-85044-275-4.
  3. Web site: LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS . Plimsoll Ship Data . 18 February 2010.
  4. Web site: AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING LINES, Vessels acquisitioned, requisitioned, lend-leased, time chartered and purchased. . Flotilla Australia . 18 February 2010.
  5. Web site: CONVOY ON 19 (and ON 19A) . Warsailors . 18 February 2010.
  6. Web site: Convoy ON 1 through ON 100 . Convoyweb . 18 February 2010.
  7. Web site: LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS . Plimsoll Ship Data . 18 February 2010.
  8. Web site: Spitfire aircraft production page 018 . Spitfires . 13 June 2021.
  9. Web site: Spitfire aircraft production page 022 . Spitfires . 13 June 2021.
  10. Web site: Spitfire aircraft production page 038 . Spitfires . 13 June 2021.
  11. Web site: Spitfire aircraft production page 039 . Spitfires . 18 September 2010.
  12. Web site: Spitfire aircraft production page 040 . Spitfires . 18 September 2010.
  13. Web site: CONVOY SC 125 . Warsailors . 18 January 2010.
  14. Web site: Convoy SC.125 . Convoyweb . 18 January 2010.
  15. Web site: Ship Index A-F . Brian Watson . 20 May 2011.

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