SS Empire Clough explained

Empire Clough was a cargo ship which was built in 1942 by John Readhead & Sons Ltd of South Shields for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was torpedoed and sunk on her maiden voyage.

Description

The ship was built as yard number 527.[1] She was launched on 2 April 1942 and completed in June 1942.[2]

The ship was 405feet long, with a beam of 53feet and a depth of 32feet. She had a GRT of 6,147 and a NRT of 4,251.[3]

The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of NaNinches, NaNinches and 68inches diameter by 48inches stroke. The engine was built by Foster, Yates & Thompson Ltd, Blackburn.[3]

History

Empire Clough was built for the Ministry of War Transport and placed under the management of the Larringa Steamship Co Ltd. Her port of registry was South Shields and she was allocated the Code Letters BDVX and United Kingdom Official Number 168655.[3]

On her maiden voyage, Empire Clough was a member of Convoy ON 100, which departed from Loch Ewe on 2 June 1942 bound for Boston and New York. At 03:40 on 10 June 1942, Empire Clough was torpedoed by with the loss of five crew. The ship was abandoned, with the 44 survivors being rescued by and the Portuguese trawler Argus. They were landed at St John's, Newfoundland and in Greenland respectively.[4] Empire Clough sank at .[2] Those lost on Empire Clough are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial in London.[5]

References

51.8333°N -35°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: John Readhead's Shipyard - 1909 to 1968 . John Bage . 24 April 2010 . dead . https://archive.today/20120804140158/http://www.johnbage.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/John%20Readhead%20Shipyard%20Page%206.htm . 4 August 2012 .
  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, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS. https://web.archive.org/web/20120331131327/http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name=41b0997.pdf. dead. 31 March 2012. Plimsoll Ship Data . 24 April 2010.
  4. Web site: Empire Clough . U-boat . 24 April 2010.
  5. Web site: Ship Index A-F . Brian Watson . 20 May 2011 . 6 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006025450/http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/Ship%20Index%20A-F.html . dead .