Empire Kohinoor
British Steam merchant
Empire Kohinoor under her former name Caboto. Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales
| Name | Empire Kohinoor | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,225 tons | ||
| Completed | 1919 - William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Anchor Line (Henderson Bros) Ltd, Glasgow | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 2 Jul 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-618 (Kurt Baberg) | ||
| Position | 6° 20'N, 16° 30'W - Grid ET 5498 | ||
| Complement | 87 (6 dead and 81 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Alexandria - Capetown (18 Jun) - Freetown - UK | ||
| Cargo | 6000 tons of general cargo | ||
| History | Completed in February 1919 as British steam tanker War Celt for The Shipping Controller, managed by Anglo Mexican Petroleum Co Ltd, London. 1919 sold to Italy and converted to the steam merchant Caboto for Soc. Veneziana di Navigazione a Vapore, Venice. 1937 sold to Società Anonima di Navigazione Lloyd Triestino, Trieste. On 25 Aug 1941, scuttled at Bandar Shapur during the British Operation Countenance. Raised by Britain and renamed Empire Kohinoor by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | On 2 July 1943 the unescorted Empire Kohinoor (Master R. Black) was torpedoed and sunk by U-618 about 250 miles southwest of Freetown. Six crew members were lost. The master, 72 crew members and eight gunners were rescued. The first boat was rescued by HMS Wolverine (D 78) (Cdr J.M. Money, RN) and landed at Takoradi. The second boat was rescued by the British motor merchant Gascony and the third landed at Lumley Beach, Sierra Leone on 7 July. | ||
| On board | We have details of 8 people who were on board. | ||
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