SS Empire Archer
Encyclopedia
Empire Archer was a 7,031 ton cargo ship
which was built in 1942. She was renamed Baron Murray in 1946. In 1959 she was renamed Cathay, serving until 1963 when she was scrapped.
, Dundee
as yard number 395. She was launched on 29 June 1942 and completed in August 1942. Empire Archer was built for the Ministry of War Transport and managed by Raeburn & Verel Ltd.
Empire Archer served in a number of convoys during the Second World War.
JW51B
Convoy JW 51B sailed from Liverpool
on 22 December 1942 and arrived at the Kola Inlet
Kola Inlet on 4 January 1943. Empire Archer was carrying the convoy's Commodore, Captain R A Melhuish. Her cargo consisted of 21 fighter aircraft
, 4,376 tons of general cargo, 18 tank
s and 141 vehicles. This convoy was unsuccessfully attacked on 31 December by German heavy warships in the Battle of the Barents Sea
RA 53
Convoy RA 53 sailed from the Kola Inlet on 1 March 1943 and arrived at Loch Ewe
on 14 March.
KMS 19
Convoy KMS 19 sailed from the Clyde
on 25 June 1943 and passed Gibraltar
on 6 July. The convoy was operating in support of Operation Husky. Empire Archer was bound for Malta
, from where she sailed on 23 July as part of Convoy KMS 19T, arriving in Tripoli
on 24 July.
RA 56
Convoy RA 56 sailed from the Kola Inlet on 3 February 1944 and arrived at Loch Ewe on 11 February.
OS 89
Empire Archer was listed as a member of Convoy OS 89, sailing from Liverpool on 15 September 1944 bound for Freetown
, Sierra Leone
. Empire Archer was due to sail from Aultbea
, but did not sail in this convoy.
The reason that Empire Archer was not in the convoy was that on 13 September she had become stranded on Rathlin Island
on her way from Sunderland to join the convoy prior to sailing to the USA. She was refloated and then beached off Bangor
. Later she was towed to Belfast
and then Glasgow
for repairs, arriving on 25 September 1944.
JW 63
Convoy JW 63 sailed from Loch Ewe on 30 December 1944 and arrived at the Kola Inlet on 8 January 1945. Amongst Empire Archer's cargo were Spifire LFIXs
MJ188, MJ336, MJ337, MJ400, SM542, SM572, SM588, SM595, SM617, SM619, SM630, SM637 and SM663.
RA 64
Convoy RA 64 sailed from the Kola Inlet on 17 February 1945 and arrived at Loch Ewe on 28 February. Empire Archer was carrying the convoys Vice Commodore.
and renamed Baron Murray. She served with them until 1959 when she was sold to the Cathay Shipping Corporation, Panama
and renamed Cathay. In 1963, she was sent to Yokosuka for scrapping, arriving on 24 July.
.
Empire Archer and Baron Murray had the UK Official Number 166215. Empire Archer used the Code Letters
BDZV.
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
which was built in 1942. She was renamed Baron Murray in 1946. In 1959 she was renamed Cathay, serving until 1963 when she was scrapped.
Wartime
Empire Archer was built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering CompanyCaledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
The Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company based in Dundee on the east coast of Scotland.-History:...
, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
as yard number 395. She was launched on 29 June 1942 and completed in August 1942. Empire Archer was built for the Ministry of War Transport and managed by Raeburn & Verel Ltd.
Empire Archer served in a number of convoys during the Second World War.
JW51B
Convoy JW 51B sailed from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on 22 December 1942 and arrived at the Kola Inlet
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
Kola Inlet on 4 January 1943. Empire Archer was carrying the convoy's Commodore, Captain R A Melhuish. Her cargo consisted of 21 fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
, 4,376 tons of general cargo, 18 tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s and 141 vehicles. This convoy was unsuccessfully attacked on 31 December by German heavy warships in the Battle of the Barents Sea
Battle of the Barents Sea
The Battle of the Barents Sea took place on 31 December 1942 between German surface raiders and British ships escorting convoy JW 51B to Kola Inlet in the USSR. The action took place in the Barents Sea north of North Cape, Norway...
RA 53
Convoy RA 53 sailed from the Kola Inlet on 1 March 1943 and arrived at Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe is a sea loch in the region of in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The shores are inhabited by a traditionally Gàidhlig speaking people living in or sustained by crofting villages, the most notable of which, situated on the north-eastern shore, is the Aultbea settlement...
on 14 March.
KMS 19
Convoy KMS 19 sailed from the Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
on 25 June 1943 and passed Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on 6 July. The convoy was operating in support of Operation Husky. Empire Archer was bound for Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, from where she sailed on 23 July as part of Convoy KMS 19T, arriving in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
on 24 July.
RA 56
Convoy RA 56 sailed from the Kola Inlet on 3 February 1944 and arrived at Loch Ewe on 11 February.
OS 89
Empire Archer was listed as a member of Convoy OS 89, sailing from Liverpool on 15 September 1944 bound for Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. Empire Archer was due to sail from Aultbea
Aultbea
Aultbea is a small fishing village in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. It is situated on the shores of Loch Ewe, about 30 km west of Ullapool. The village has two hotels, the Aultbea Hotel and the Drumchork Lodge Hotel, which won the accolade of top whisky hotel in the world in 2006...
, but did not sail in this convoy.
The reason that Empire Archer was not in the convoy was that on 13 September she had become stranded on Rathlin Island
Rathlin Island
Rathlin Island is an island off the coast of County Antrim, and is the northernmost point of Northern Ireland. Rathlin is the only inhabited offshore island in Northern Ireland, with a rising population of now just over 100 people, and is the most northerly inhabited island off the Irish coast...
on her way from Sunderland to join the convoy prior to sailing to the USA. She was refloated and then beached off Bangor
Bangor, County Down
Bangor is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a seaside resort on the southern side of Belfast Lough and within the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland, and holds Blue Flag status...
. Later she was towed to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and then Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
for repairs, arriving on 25 September 1944.
JW 63
Convoy JW 63 sailed from Loch Ewe on 30 December 1944 and arrived at the Kola Inlet on 8 January 1945. Amongst Empire Archer's cargo were Spifire LFIXs
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
MJ188, MJ336, MJ337, MJ400, SM542, SM572, SM588, SM595, SM617, SM619, SM630, SM637 and SM663.
RA 64
Convoy RA 64 sailed from the Kola Inlet on 17 February 1945 and arrived at Loch Ewe on 28 February. Empire Archer was carrying the convoys Vice Commodore.
Postwar
In 1946, Empire Archer was sold to H Hogarth & Sons, GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and renamed Baron Murray. She served with them until 1959 when she was sold to the Cathay Shipping Corporation, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and renamed Cathay. In 1963, she was sent to Yokosuka for scrapping, arriving on 24 July.
Official number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO NumbersIMO ship identification number
The IMO ship identification number is made of the three letters "IMO" followed by the seven-digit number assigned to all ships by IHS Fairplay when constructed. This is a unique seven digit number that is assigned to propelled, sea-going merchant ships of 100 GT and above...
.
Empire Archer and Baron Murray had the UK Official Number 166215. Empire Archer used the Code Letters
Code letters
Code letters were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of radio, code letters were also used as radio callsigns.-History:...
BDZV.
External links
- Photo of SS Baron Murray.