SS Empire Byron
Encyclopedia
{|Empire Byron was a 6,645 GRT cargo ship
which was built in 1941 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Completed in January 1942, she had a short service career. Empire Byron was torpedo
ed and sunk on 5 July 1942 by while a member of Convoy PQ 17.
The ship was 416 in 8 in (127 m) long, with a beam of 56 in 5 in (17.2 m) and a depth of 34 feet (10.36 m). She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 23.5 inches (59.7 cm), 38 inches (96.5 cm) and 66 inches (167.6 cm) diameter by 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. The engine was built by North East Marine Engine Co (1938) Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne
. She had a GRT of 6,645 and a NRT of 4,796.
PQ 12
Convoy PQ 12 departed Reykjavík
, Iceland
on 1 March 1942. It arrived at Murmansk
on 12 March. Empire Byron was a member of this convoy.
QP 9
Convoy QP 9 departed the Kola Inlet
, Soviet Union
on 21 March 1942 and arrived at Reykjavík on 3 April. Empire Byron was listed as a member of this convoy, with a destination of Immingham
.
PQ 17
Convoy PQ 17 departed Reykjavík on 27 June 1942 and scattered at sea on 5 July. Empire Byron had started her voyage from Hull
. She was carrying a cargo of 15 aircraft, 30 tanks, 2,455 tons of military stores and six vehicles. On 4 July, Empire Byron was hit by a torpedo dropped by a Heinkel He 111
of II/KG 26
and was damaged, straggling behind the convoy. at 08:27 (German time) on 5 July, fired another torpedo, which sank Empire Byron with the loss of six crew and a passenger at 76°18′N 33°30′E. A second passenger was taken prisoner
. He was landed at Narvik
, Norway
on 15 July. The remaining 62 survivors were rescued by and landed at Archangelsk on 16 July.
The ship's captain, John Wharton MBE, and the 3rd Radio Officer, R Phillips, were each awarded a Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea
for their actions in the sinking of Empire Byron. In the case fo Phillips, the award was posthumous. Those lost on Empire Byron are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial
, London.
. Empire Byron had the United Kingdom Official Number 169005 and used the Code Letters
BCTG.
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 1941 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Completed in January 1942, she had a short service career. Empire Byron was torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed and sunk on 5 July 1942 by while a member of Convoy PQ 17.
Description
Empire Byron was built by Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland for the MoWT. She was yard number 289. Empire Byron was launched on 6 October 1941 and completed in January 1942.The ship was 416 in 8 in (127 m) long, with a beam of 56 in 5 in (17.2 m) and a depth of 34 feet (10.36 m). She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 23.5 inches (59.7 cm), 38 inches (96.5 cm) and 66 inches (167.6 cm) diameter by 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. The engine was built by North East Marine Engine Co (1938) Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. She had a GRT of 6,645 and a NRT of 4,796.
Career
Empire Byron was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.PQ 12
Convoy PQ 12 departed Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
on 1 March 1942. It arrived at Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
on 12 March. Empire Byron was a member of this convoy.
QP 9
Convoy QP 9 departed 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...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
on 21 March 1942 and arrived at Reykjavík on 3 April. Empire Byron was listed as a member of this convoy, with a destination of Immingham
Immingham
Immingham is a town in North East Lincolnshire, located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary...
.
PQ 17
Convoy PQ 17 departed Reykjavík on 27 June 1942 and scattered at sea on 5 July. Empire Byron had started her voyage from Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
. She was carrying a cargo of 15 aircraft, 30 tanks, 2,455 tons of military stores and six vehicles. On 4 July, Empire Byron was hit by a torpedo dropped by a Heinkel He 111
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
of II/KG 26
Kampfgeschwader 26
Kampfgeschwader 26 "Löwengeschwader" was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II .Its units participated on all of the fronts in the European Theatre until it was disbanded in September–October 1944. It operated two of the major German bomber types; the Heinkel He 111 and the Junkers Ju 88...
and was damaged, straggling behind the convoy. at 08:27 (German time) on 5 July, fired another torpedo, which sank Empire Byron with the loss of six crew and a passenger at 76°18′N 33°30′E. A second passenger was taken prisoner
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. He was landed at Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
on 15 July. The remaining 62 survivors were rescued by and landed at Archangelsk on 16 July.
The ship's captain, John Wharton MBE, and the 3rd Radio Officer, R Phillips, were each awarded a Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea
Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea
The Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea is one of the four Lloyd's Medal types bestowed by Lloyd's of London. In 1939, with the coming of World War II, Lloyd's set up a committee to find means of honouring seafarers who performed acts of exceptional courage at sea, and this resulted in the...
for their actions in the sinking of Empire Byron. In the case fo Phillips, the award was posthumous. Those lost on Empire Byron are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial
Tower Hill Memorial
The Tower Hill Memorial is a national war memorial on the south side of Trinity Square Gardens, just to the north of the Tower of London. It commemorates those from the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets who died during both world wars and have "no grave but the sea".The First World War memorial...
, London.
Official Numbers 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 Byron had the United Kingdom Official Number 169005 and 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:...
BCTG.