Empire Volunteer
British Steam merchant
Name | Empire Volunteer | ||
Type: | Steam merchant | ||
Tonnage | 5,319 tons | ||
Completed | 1921 - Harbour Marine Co Ltd, Victoria BC | ||
Owner | John Cory & Sons Ltd, Cardiff | ||
Homeport | London | ||
Date of attack | 15 Sep 1940 | Nationality: British | |
Fate | Sunk by U-48 (Heinrich Bleichrodt) | ||
Position | 56° 43'N, 15° 17'W - Grid AM 1998 | ||
Complement | 39 (6 dead and 33 survivors). | ||
Convoy | SC-3 | ||
Route | Wabana - Glasgow | ||
Cargo | 7700 tons of iron ore | ||
History | Completed in March 1921 as Canadian Traveller for Canadian Government (Merchant Marine Ltd), Montreal. 1932 sold to Italy and renamed Procida for Achille Lauro, Naples. On 10 Jun 1940, the Procida was seized by Britain at Cardiff and renamed Empire Volunteer by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
Notes on event | At 03.00 hours on 15 Sep 1940 the Empire Volunteer (Master Benjamin Pearson) in convoy SC-3 was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 65 miles west of Rockall. Six crew members were lost. The master and six crew members were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant Fido and landed at Belfast. 26 crew members were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant Granli and landed at Glasgow. | ||
On board | We have details of 8 people who were on board. |
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