Empire Trader
British Steam passenger ship
Empire Trader under her former name Tainui
| Name | Empire Trader | ||
| Type: | Steam passenger ship | ||
| Tonnage | 9,990 tons | ||
| Completed | 1908 - Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | ||
| Owner | Shaw, Savill & Albion Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 21 Feb 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-92 (Adolf Oelrich) | ||
| Position | 48° 25'N, 30° 10'W - Grid BD 5326 | ||
| Complement | 106 (0 dead and 106 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | ON-166 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Newport, Mon. - Belfast Lough - New York | ||
| Cargo | 985 tons of chemicals | ||
| History | Completed in October 1908 as Tainui for Shaw, Savill & Albion Co Ltd, London. 1940 retrieved from breakers yard and renamed Empire Trader by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | On 21 Feb 1943 the Empire Trader was ordered sail for the Azores with HMCS Dauphin (K 157) (Lt R.A.S. MacNeil, RCNR) after the ship straggled from convoy ON-166. At 22.25 hours on 21 February, U-92 fired two spreads of two torpedoes from a distance of 5000 metres at the Empire Trader (Master Eric Thomas Baker) north of the Azores. One torpedo of the first spread hit on the port side at #1 hold. The vessel continued at 5 knots, but had to be abandoned the next day and the corvette tried to scuttle her with gunfire on Admiralty orders at 20.00 hours in 48°27N/29°47W. On 23 February, the drifting wreck was last seen by aircraft in 47°40N/28°46W. | ||
| On board | We have details of 2 people who were on board. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.