Empire Cowper was a cargo ship that was built in 1941 by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, United Kingdom. She was built for the Ministry of War Transport. Empire Cowper was bombed and sunk on 11 April 1942 whilst a member of Convoy QP 10.
Empire Cowper was built in 1941 by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. Yard number 682,[1] she was launched on 23 September and completed in December,[2]
The ship was 428feet long, with a beam of 56feet. She had a depth of 35feet and a draught of 27inchesftNaNinchesin (ftin). She was assessed at, .[3] Her DWT was 10,173.[1]
The ship was propelled by a 511 nhp triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of NaNinches, NaNinches and 68inches diameter by 48inches stroke. The engine was built by John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank.[3]
Empire Cowper was completed in December 1941,[2] and placed under the management of R Chapman & Son.[1] The Official Number 169003 was allocated,[4] as were the Code Letters BCTF.[3]
Empire Cowper was a member of Convoy PQ 13, which departed Loch Ewe on 10 March 1942 and arrived at Murmansk, Soviet Union on 31 March.[5] She arrived at Reykjavík, Iceland on 16 March and departed on 20 March to join the convoy.[6]
Empire Cowper was a member of Convoy QP 10, which departed the Kola Inlet on 10 April and arrived at Reykjavík on 21 April.[7] On 11 April, she was bombed by Junkers Ju 88 aircraft and sunk in the Barents Sea at 71.0167°N 36°W,[2] with the loss of nine of her crew.[8] Those lost on Empire Cowper are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.[9]