SS Empire Clive
Encyclopedia
Empire Clive was a 7,069 GRT cargo ship
which was built in 1941 by Cammell Laird & Co Ltd
, Birkenhead
for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). During the Second World War, she served as a CAM ship
, armed with a Hawker Hurricane
aircraft. In 1946 she was sold and renamed Charlebury. In 1958, she was sold to Hong Kong
and renamed Isabel Erica. She served until 1969 when she was scrapped.
The ship was 432 in 2 in (131.72 m) long, with a beam of 56 in 2 in (17.12 m) and a depth of 34 in 2 in (10.41 m). She had a GRT of 7,069 and a NRT of 5,194.
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 23½ inches (60 cm), 37½ inches (95 cm) and 68 inches (172.7 cm) diameter by 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Cammell Laird.
. The Code Letters
BCNM and United Kingdom Official Number 168801 were allocated.
Empire Clive was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
SC 58
Convoy SC 58 departed from Sydney
, Cape Breton
on 4 December 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 21 December. Empire Clive was due to sail with this convoy.
HX 164
Convoy HX 164 departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia
on 8 December 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 23 December. Empire Clive was listed in this convoy, but sailed with Convoy SC 59.
SC 59
Convoy SC 59 departed from Sydney, Cape Breton on 10 December 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 27 December. Empire Clive, at the time a CAM ship
, sailed with this convoy. She was carrying general cargo bound for Avonmouth
, Somerset
.
On 19 July 1942, Empire Clive loaded ten Supermarine Spitfire
aircraft. They were delivered to Malta
on 3 August.
MKS 16
Convoy MKS 16 departed from Gibraltar
on 9 July 1943. It joined Convoy SL 132 at sea on 10 July and arrived at Liverpool on 22 July. Empire Clive was carrying a cargo of phosphate
s bound for Glasgow
.
In 1946, Empire Clive was sold to Alexander Shipping Co Ltd and was renamed Charlebury. She was placed under the management of Houlder Bros Ltd, London
. In 1958, she was sold to the Red Anchor Line, Hong Kong
and renamed Isabel Erica In 1963, she was sold to the St Merryn Shipping Co, and placed under the management of C Moller & Co, Hong Kong. Isabel Erica was scrapped in August 1969 in Hong Kong.
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 by Cammell Laird & Co Ltd
Cammell Laird
Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...
, Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). During the Second World War, she served as a CAM ship
CAM ship
CAM ships were World War II-era British merchant ships used in convoys as an emergency stop-gap until sufficient escort carriers became available. CAM is an acronym for catapult aircraft merchantman. A CAM ship was equipped with a rocket-propelled catapult launching a single Hawker Sea Hurricane,...
, armed with a Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
aircraft. In 1946 she was sold and renamed Charlebury. In 1958, she was sold to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and renamed Isabel Erica. She served until 1969 when she was scrapped.
Description
The ship was built by Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead as yard number 1061. She was launched on 28 July 1941 and completed in August.The ship was 432 in 2 in (131.72 m) long, with a beam of 56 in 2 in (17.12 m) and a depth of 34 in 2 in (10.41 m). She had a GRT of 7,069 and a NRT of 5,194.
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 23½ inches (60 cm), 37½ inches (95 cm) and 68 inches (172.7 cm) diameter by 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Cammell Laird.
History
Empire Clive was built for the MoWT. She was placed under the management of Capper, Alexander & Co Ltd. Her port of registry was LiverpoolLiverpool
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...
. 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:...
BCNM and United Kingdom Official Number 168801 were allocated.
Empire Clive was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
SC 58
Convoy SC 58 departed from Sydney
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, Cape Breton
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
on 4 December 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 21 December. Empire Clive was due to sail with this convoy.
HX 164
Convoy HX 164 departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
on 8 December 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 23 December. Empire Clive was listed in this convoy, but sailed with Convoy SC 59.
SC 59
Convoy SC 59 departed from Sydney, Cape Breton on 10 December 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 27 December. Empire Clive, at the time a CAM ship
CAM ship
CAM ships were World War II-era British merchant ships used in convoys as an emergency stop-gap until sufficient escort carriers became available. CAM is an acronym for catapult aircraft merchantman. A CAM ship was equipped with a rocket-propelled catapult launching a single Hawker Sea Hurricane,...
, sailed with this convoy. She was carrying general cargo bound for Avonmouth
Avonmouth
Avonmouth is a port and suburb of Bristol, England, located on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon.The council ward of Avonmouth also includes Shirehampton and the western end of Lawrence Weston.- Geography :...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.
On 19 July 1942, Empire Clive loaded ten Supermarine Spitfire
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...
aircraft. They were delivered to 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...
on 3 August.
MKS 16
Convoy MKS 16 departed from 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 9 July 1943. It joined Convoy SL 132 at sea on 10 July and arrived at Liverpool on 22 July. Empire Clive was carrying a cargo of phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
s bound for 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...
.
In 1946, Empire Clive was sold to Alexander Shipping Co Ltd and was renamed Charlebury. She was placed under the management of Houlder Bros Ltd, London
Houlder Line
The Houlder Line were a number of related British Shipping companies originally established by the Houlder brothers. was operated by the Houlder Line and was torpedoed in the North Atlantic in 1940. was operated by the Houlder Line...
. In 1958, she was sold to the Red Anchor Line, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and renamed Isabel Erica In 1963, she was sold to the St Merryn Shipping Co, and placed under the management of C Moller & Co, Hong Kong. Isabel Erica was scrapped in August 1969 in Hong Kong.