SS Empire Cabot

Empire Cabot was a 6,715 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1941 for the British Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was sold in 1945 and renamed Clearpool. In 1955 she was sold and renamed Grelmarion. A further change of name to Rachel happened in 1959 and she was scrapped later that year.

History
Name:
  • Empire Cabot (1941-45)
  • Clearpool (1945-55)
  • Grelmarion (1955-59)
  • Rachel (1959)
Owner:
  • Ministry of War Transport (1941-45)
  • Pool Shipping Co Ltd (1945-55)
  • Cardigan Shipping Co Ltd (1955-59)
  • Bowring & Curry Ltd (1959)
Operator:
  • Glen & Co Ltd (1941-42)
  • Sir R Ropner & Co Ltd (1942-48)
  • Australian Shipping Board (1948) Sir R Ropner & Co LTd (1948-55)
  • T Walter Gould & Co Ltd (1955-59)
  • Robert M Sloman Jr (1959)
Port of registry:
  • West Hartlepool (1941-55)
  • Cardiff (1955-59)
  • Hamburg (1959)
Builder: William Gray & Co. Ltd.
Yard number: 1118
Launched: 9 July 1941
Completed: September 1941
Identification:
  • United Kingdom Official Number 168929 (1941-59)
  • Code Letters BCPM
  • (1941-59)
Fate: Scrapped 1959
General characteristics
Tonnage:
Length: 419 ft 2 in (127.76 m)
Beam: 56 ft 7 in (17.25 m)
Depth: 33 ft 9 in (10.29 m)
Installed power: Triple expansion steam engine
Propulsion: Screw propellor
Speed: 10 knots (19 km/h)

Description

Empire Cabot was built by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool for the MoWT. Built as yard number 1118,[1] she was launched on 9 July 1941 and completed in September.[2]

The ship was 419 feet 2 inches (127.76 m) long, with a beam of 56 feet 7 inches (17.25 m) and a depth of 33 feet 9 inches (10.29 m). She had a GRT of 6,715 and a NRT of 4,836. She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 22.5 inches (57 cm), 36 inches (91 cm) and 65 inches (170 cm) diameter by 48 inches (120 cm) stroke. The engine was built by the Central Marine Engineering Works, West Hartlepool.[3] The engine drove a single screw propellor and could propel her at 10 knots (19 km/h).[4]

History

Empire Cabot was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 168929. She used the Code Letters BCPM. She was owned by the MoWT and operated under the management of Glen & Co Ltd.[3]

Empire Cabot was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.

ON 19

Convoy ON 19 departed from Liverpool on 21 September 1941 and from Loch Ewe on 23 September. It dispersed at sea on 7 October. Empire Cabot was in ballast and was bound for Tampa, Florida. She lost contact with the convoy at around 01:00 on 24 September off the Butt of Lewis.[5] She returned to Loch Ewe to await the next convoy.[6]

ON 21

Convoy ON 21 departed Loch Ewe on 30 September 1941. Empire Cabot was bound for Hampton Roads.[6]

In 1942, management was transferred to Sir R Ropner & Co Ltd.[7]

ON 79

Convoy ON 79 departed Reykjavík, Iceland on 22 March 1942.[6]

ON 95

Convoy ON 95 departed Liverpool on 15 May 1942. Empire Cabot was bound for Tampa, Florida.[6]

On 28 August 1942 Empire Cabot delivered 19 Spitfire Vb aircraft to Gibraltar on 28 August. The aircraft were serial numbers EP520, EP537, EP567, EP568, EP620, EP622, EP641, EP642, EP650, EP652, EP662, EP667, EP721, EP728,[8] EP790, EP817, EP823, EP832 and EP843.[9]

SC 125

Convoy SC 125 departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia on 31 March 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 15 April.[10] Empire Cabot was carrying a cargo of grain.[11]

In 1945, Empire Cabot was sold to Ropner's and renamed Clearpool.[2] On 1 March 1948, she was chartered by the Australian Shipping Board, returning to Ropner's on 8 December.[4] In 1955, Clearpool was sold to Cardigan Shipping Co Ltd, Cardiff and renamed Grelmarion. She was operated under the management of T Walter Gould Ltd. In 1959 she was sold to Bowring & Curry, Hamburg and renamed Rachel. She was operated under the management of Robert M Sloman Jr and was scrapped later that year in Hong Kong.[2] Those lost on Empire Cabot are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.[12]

References
  1. "1929 to 1942". Portcities Hartlepool. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  2. Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
  3. "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  4. "AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING LINES, Vessels acquisitioned, requisitioned, lend-leased, time chartered and purchased". Flotilla Australia. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  5. "CONVOY ON 19 (and ON 19A)". Warsailors. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  6. "Convoy ON 1 through ON 100". Convoyweb. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  7. "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  8. "Spitfire aircraft production page 039". Spitfires. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  9. "Spitfire aircraft production page 040". Spitfires. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  10. "CONVOY SC 125". Warsailors. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  11. "Convoy SC.125". Convoyweb. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  12. "Ship Index A-F". Brian Watson. Retrieved 20 May 2011.


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