SS Empire Chaucer

History

Name:	Empire Chaucer
Owner:	Ministry of War Transport
Operator:	W J Tatem Ltd
Port of registry:	Sunderland
Builder:	W Pickersgill & Sons Ltd
Launched:	18 March 1942
Completed:	May 1942
Out of service:	17 October 1942
Identification:	Code Letters BDVX United Kingdom Official Number 169018
Fate:	Torpedoed and sunk by U-504
General characteristics
Tonnage:	5,970 GRT 3,501 NRT
Length:	401 ft 0 in (122.22 m)
Beam:	54 ft 0 in (16.46 m)
Depth:	33 ft 2 in (10.11 m)
Installed power:	triple expansion steam engine
Propulsion:	Screw propellor
Crew:	49

Location of the sinking of Empire Chaucer.

Empire Chaucer was a 5,970 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1942 by William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. She was built for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Completed in May 1942, she had a short career, being torpedoed and sunk by U-504 on 17 October 1942.

Description

The ship was built by William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. She was launched on 18 March 1942 and completed in May 1942.^[1]

The ship was 401 feet 0 inches (122.22 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet 0 inches (16.46 m) and a depth of 33 feet 2 inches (10.11 m). She had a GRT of 5,970 and a NRT of 3,501.^[2]

The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 23 ¹⁄₂ inches (60 cm), 38 inches (97 cm) and 66 inches (170 cm) diameter by 45 inches (110 cm) stroke.^[2]

History

Empire Chaucer was built for the MoWT. She was placed under the management of W J Tatem Ltd,^[2] Cardiff.^[3] Her port of registry was Sunderland. The Code Letters BDVX and United Kingdom Official Number 169018 were allocated.^[2]

In October 1942, Empire Chaucer departed Calcutta, India bound for the United Kingdom via Durban and Cape Town, South Africa and then via Trinidad. She was carrying a cargo of 2,000 tons of pig iron and 6,500 tons of general cargo, including mail and tea.^[3]

Empire Chaucer departed Durbon on 13 October bound for Cape Town. At 06:15 on 17 October, Empire Chaucer was torpedoed and sunk 450 nautical miles (830 km) south of Cape Town (38°12′S 20°04′E / 38.200°S 20.067°E / -38.200; 20.067) by U-504 with the loss of three crew. The remaining 46 crew and a passenger took to the lifeboats. Twelve survivors, including the Captain, were rescued by Empire Squire and landed at Trinidad. Fifteen survivors spent 23 days in a lifeboat before being rescued by Nebraska. They were landed at Cape Town. The remaining 20 survivors landed at Bredasdorp on 31 October.^[3] Those lost on Empire Chaucer are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.^[4]

References

↑ 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.
1 2 3 4 "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
1 2 3 "Empire Chaucer". U-boat. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
↑ "Ship Index A-F". Brian Watson. Retrieved 20 May 2011.

Coordinates: 38°12′S 20°4′E / 38.200°S 20.067°E / -38.200; 20.067

Empire ships beginning with Empire Ca to Empire Cl, Empire Co to Empire Cy

Cargo ships	Empire Cabot Empire Caicos Empire Calder Empire Call Empire Calshot Empire Camel Empire Cameron Empire Camp¹ Empire Candida Empire Canning Empire Canute ² Empire Canyon Empire Cape ³ Empire Capulet Empire Carey Empire Caribou Empire Carpenter Empire Carron Empire Catcher Empire Catcher II Empire Cato Empire Caxton Empire Celia Empire Centaur Empire Chamois Empire Charmian² Empire Chaucer Empire Cheer Empire Cheetah Empire Chelmer Empire Chelsea ³ Empire Cherwell Empire Cheyne ³ Empire Chivalry Empire Chuzzlewit ³ Empire Citizen (II) Empire City Empire Claire Empire Clansman⁴ Empire Clarion Empire Claymore Empire Cliff ³ Empire Clive Empire Cloud Empire Clough Empire Coast ³ Empire Colne Empire Comet Empire Comfort Empire Commerce (I) Empire Commerce (II) Empire Conavon Empire Concave Empire Concern Empire Concerto Empire Concession Empire Conclyde Empire Concord Empire Concourse Empire Concrete Empire Condart ³ Empire Condee ³ Empire Conderton Empire Condicote Empire Condor (I) Empire Condor (II)³ Empire Condorrat ³ Empire Condover Empire Conexe ³ Empire Confal ³ Empire Confederation Empire Conference Empire Conforth ³ Empire Congerstone ³ Empire Congham Empire Congleton Empire Congo Empire Congress Empire Congreve ³ Empire Conifer Empire Coningsby ⁵ Empire Conington Empire Conisborough Empire Coniston Empire Conlea ³ Empire Conleith Empire Conleven Empire Connah Empire Connaught ³ Empire Connell Empire Connemara Empire Conningbeg Empire Conqueror Empire Conquest Empire Conrad Empire Consent Empire Consequence Empire Consett Empire Consistence Empire Consort Empire Constable Empire Constancy ³ Empire Constellation Empire Constitution Empire Constructor Empire Consumer Empire Contay ³ Empire Contees Empire Content Empire Contest Empire Continent ³ Empire Contour ³ Empire Contract ³ Empire Contyne Empire Convention Empire Conveyor Empire Convoy Empire Conway Empire Conwear Empire Cony ³ Empire Conyngham Empire Copperfield Empire Coppice ³ Empire Cormorant Empire Cougar Empire Courage Empire Cowdray Empire Cowper Empire Crag ³ Empire Cranmer Empire Creek ³ Empire Cricketer ³ Empire Crocus ³ Empire Cromer Empire Cromwell Empire Crossbill Empire Crouch Empire Crown Empire Crusader Empire Crusoe Empire Curlew (I) Empire Curzon Empire Cyprus

Dredgers	Empire Champion Empire Clydesdale Empire Conjuror

Ferries	Empire Chub

Landing ships	Empire Cedric Empire Celtic Empire Crossbow Empire Curlew (II) Empire Cutlass Empire Cymric

Ocean liners	Empire Captain ^{1, 5} Empire Castle^{1, 5} Empire Chieftain ⁵ Empire Citizen (I)^{1, 5} Empire Clarendon ⁵ Empire Clyde (I) Empire Clyde (II)

Schooners	Empire Cononley Empire Contamar

Tankers	Empire Cadet ³ Empire Campden ³ Empire Cavalier Empire Celt Empire Chancellor Empire Chapman Empire Chief Empire Chlorine ³ Empire Cobbett Empire Coleridge Empire Collins Empire Control Empire Coral Empire Corporal Empire Crest Empire Cross

Tugs	Empire Cedar⁶ Empire Charles Empire Cherub Empire Christopher⁷ Empire Clara Empire Connie⁷ Empire Cupid⁷

A B Ca–Cl Co–Cy D E F G H I–J K L M N O P R Sa–Sh Si–Sy Ta–Te Th–Ty U–Z

1 Refrigerated Cargo Ship 2 Heavy lift ship 3 Coaster 4 Collier 5 Cargo liner 6 Estuary tug 7 Coastal tug

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in October 1942

Shipwrecks	2 Oct: HMS Curacoa, Lisbon Maru, U-512 5 Oct: U-582, U-619 6 Oct: I-22 8 Oct: U-179 9 Oct: U-171 10 Oct: Komintern, HMT Orcades 11 Oct: Fubuki, Furutaka, L-16 12 Oct: USS Duncan, Murakumo, Natsugumo, U-597 13 Oct: I-30, SS Loreto 14 Oct: Caribou, Komet, Shch-213 15 Oct: Drazki, USS Meredith, U-661 16 Oct: Primrose Hill, U-353 17 Oct: Empire Chaucer, Oboro 20 Oct: U-216 21 Oct: Palatia 22 Oct: U-412, Winnipeg II 23 Oct: City of Johannesburg, Empire Star 24 Oct: U-599 25 Oct: USS Seminole, Yura 26 Oct: USS Porter, President Coolidge 27 Oct: USS Hornet, U-627 29 Oct: Abosso 30 Oct: U-520, U-559, U-658 Unknown date: U-116, HMS Unique

Other incidents	2 Oct: Queen Mary 12 Oct: HMS Loyal 23 Oct: HMS Phoebe

1941 1942 1943 September 1942 November 1942

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