HMS Empire Dace

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History
Name
  • Empire Dace (1942-43)
  • HMS Empire Dace (1943-44)
Owner
  • Ministry of War Transport (1942-43)
  • Royal Navy (1943-44)
Operator
  • Townsend Bros Ferries Ltd (1942-43)
  • Royal Navy (1943-44)
Port of registry
  • United Kingdom Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (1942-43)
  • United Kingdom Royal Navy (1943-44)
BuilderSwan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd
Yard number1754
Launched11 August 1942
CompletedSeptember 1942
Identification
  • United Kingdom
    Official Number
    165842
  • Code Letters MBDW
FateStruck mine and sunk 1 December 1944
General characteristics
TypeFerry
Tonnage
Length179 ft 5 in (54.69 m)
Beam40 ft 2 in (12.24 m)
Depth11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)
PropulsionTriple expansion steam engine
Speed11 knots (20 km/h)

HMS Empire Dace was a 716 GRT coastal ferry that was built in 1942 as a merchant ship by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1943, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy. She served until December 1944, when she struck a mine and sank in Greek waters.

Description

The ship was built in 1941 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd Newcastle upon Tyne. She was yard number 1754.[1]

The ship was 179 feet 5 inches (54.69 m) long, with a beam of 40 feet 2 inches (12.24 m). She had a depth of 11 feet 0 inches (3.35 m) and a draught of 9 feet 1+3⁄4 inches (2.788 m). She was assessed at 716 GRT, 268 NRT.[2]

The ship was propelled by a 132

triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 12 inches (30 cm), 19 inches (48 cm) and 31 inches (79 cm) diameter by 21 inches (53 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.[2] It drove a screw propeller and could propel the ship at 11 knots (20 km/h).[3]

History

Empire Dace was launched on 11 August 1942, and completed in September of that year. She was built for the MoWT to the same design of a number of vessels built for the

Townsend Bros. Ferries Ltd.[2]

Empire Dace departed from

Argyllshire on 18 October. She then sailed to Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire to join Convoy KX 6,[5] which arrived at Gibraltar on 17 November. Her destination was Freetown, Sierra Leone.[6]

Empire Dace was a member of Convoy MKS 11, which departed from

Bône, Algeria on 10 April 1943 and arrived at Liverpool, Lancashire on 23 April. She left the convoy at Oran.[7] In July, Empire Dace was requisitioned by the Royal Navy.[1] She was a member of Convoy KMS 24, which departed from Gibraltar on 30 August and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 10 September.[8] She joined the convoy at Algiers, Algeria on 1 September and left it at Bougie, Algeria on 2 September.[5]

Empire Dace was a member of Convoy HA 37A, which departed from

Mediterranean, visiting Ancona, Bari and Brindisi, Italy.[5]

On 1 December 1944, Empire Dace struck a

DEMS gunners and 100 passengers.[3] Those lost on Empire Dace are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.[10]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-85044-275-4
    .
  2. ^ a b c "LLOYDS REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS UNDER 300 TONS, TRAWLERS &c" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  3. ^ a b "SS Empire Dace [+1944]". Wrecksite. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Signal Letters Database". Convoyweb. Retrieved 20 May 2011. (Enter MBDW or Empire Dace in relevant search box)
  5. ^ a b c d "EMPIRE DACE". Convoyweb. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  6. ^ "Convoy KX.6". Convoyweb. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  7. ^ "CONVOY MKS 11". Warsailors. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  8. ^ "Convoy KMS.24". Convoyweb. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Convoy GUS.43". Convoyweb. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  10. ^ "Ship Index A-F". Brian Watson. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.

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