Empire Buffalo was a Design 1105 cargo ship which was built in 1919 as Eglantine by Skinner & Eddy for the United States Shipping Board (USSB). She was sold in 1933 to the Lykes Brothers-Ripley Steamship Corporation. In 1940 she was sold to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Buffalo. She was torpedoed and sunk by in 1942.
Eglantine was built by Skinner & Eddy.[1] She was yard number 68. Eglantine was launched on 25 October 1919 and completed in November 1919.
As built, the ship was 402feet long, with a beam of 54feet and a depth of 32feet. She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of NaNinches, NaNinches and 72inches bore by 48inches stroke. The engine was built by Hooven, Owens & Rentschler, Hamilton, Ohio.[2] The ship had a speed of 11.5kn.
In 1930, Eglantine was recorded on Lloyd's Register as having a GRT of 6,325 with a NRT of 3,972.[2] In 1938, she was recorded as having a GRT of 6,312 and a NRT of 4,456.[3] In 1940, Empire Buffalo was recorded on Lloyds Register as having a GRT of 6,404 and a NRT of 4,618. Other sources list her as having a GRT of 6,374.[1]
Eglantine's port of registry was Seattle.[2] She was operated by the USSB until 1933 when she was sold to Lykes Brothers-Ripley Steamship Corporation.[1] Her port of registry was changed to New Orleans.[4] Eglantine served with Lykes Brothers until 1940 when she was sold to the MoWT and renamed Empire Buffalo.[1]
She was operated under the management of Lyle Shipping Co Ltd. Her port of Registry was London. Empire Buffalo was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
At 22:25 German time on 6 May 1942, Empire Buffalo was torpedoed by and sunk west of the Cayman Islands (19.2333°N -116°W). Thirteen of the crew were killed, including the Captain, John Hill. Twenty-nine survivors were rescued by and landed at Kingston, Jamaica. Empire Buffalo was on a voyage from Kingston to New Orleans in ballast.[9] Those lost on Empire Buffalo are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.[10]
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. Eglantine had the United States Official Number 219278.[2] Empire Buffalo had the UK Official Number 168018.[11]
Eglantine used the Code Letters LTVD until 1934,[2] when they were changed to KOPT.[12] Empire Buffalo used the Code Letters GLRR.[11]