World War II merchant ship of the United Kingdom
History
Name
Eastney (1920-24)
Germaine L D (1924-31)
Andrea (1931-40)
Empire Adventure (1940)
Owner
Romney Steamship Co Ltd, London (1921-24)
L Dreyfus et Compagnie, France (1924-31)
Società Anonima di Navigazione Corrado, Genoa (1931-40)
Ministry of War Transport (1940)
Operator
Owner operated except:-
Runciman Shipping Co Ltd (1940)
Port of registry
London (1921-22)
London (1922-24)
Dunkirk (1924-31)
Genoa (1931-40)
London (1940)
Builder Northumberland Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Sunderland[1]
Yard number 256
Launched 13 October 1920
Completed February 1921
Identification
UK Official Number 146165 (1921-24, 1940)
Italian Official Number 1829 (1931-40)
Code Letters NDAT (1931-33)
Code letters IBXA (1933-40)
Code letters GLXW (1940)
Fate Torpedoed by U-138 night of 20/21 September 1940, sank 23 September 1940
General characteristics
Tonnage 5,145 GRT
Length 375 ft (114.30 m)
Beam 51 ft 2 in (15.60 m)
Depth 31 ft 7 in (9.63 m)
Propulsion 1 x triple expansion steam engine (Wallsend Slipway Co Ltd, Newcastle) 370 hp (280 kW) NHP.
Speed 11 knots (20 km/h)
Complement 39
Location of the torpedo attack and sinking of
Empire Adventure
SS Empire Adventure was a 5,787-ton steamship built in 1920 as the Eastney . She was sold to France in 1924 and renamed Germaine L D . In 1931 she was sold to Italy, being renamed Andrea , being seized in 1940 and renamed Empire Adventure . She was torpedoed on the night of 20/21 September 1940 and sank while under tow on 23 September 1940.
History
Eastney was built by the Northumberland Shipping Co, Howdon , Wallsend ,[2] as yard number 356.[3] She was owned and operated by the Romney Steamship Co, London . In 1924, Eastney was sold to L Dreyfus & Co, France , and renamed Germaine L D .[2] On 25 March 1929, she was in collision with Alice Marie in the North Sea off Vlissingen , Netherlands . She was beached at Rammekens for temporary repairs to be carried out.[4] Germaine L D was refloated the next day.[5] On 3 March 1931, she collided with Southborough at Rotterdam , Netherlands . Southborough sustained some damage but Germaine L D was undamaged.[6] On 23 March 1932, she ran aground at Buenos Aires , Argentina , but was freed the next day with assistance from a tug . No damage was sustained.[7] In 1932, Germaine L D was sold to Società Anonima di Navigazione Corrado, Genoa , and renamed Andrea . In June 1940, Andrea was seized at Newcastle upon Tyne and renamed Empire Adventure .[2]
Convoy OB 216
Convoy OB 216 departed from Liverpool on 19 September 1940.[8] During the night of 20/21 September 1940, Empire Adventure was torpedoed by U-138 [9] 52 miles (84 km) northwest of Rathlin Island [10] 55°11′N 11°30′W / 55.183°N 11.500°W / 55.183; -11.500 .[11] Although taken in tow by HMS Superman , Empire Adventure sank on 23 September 1940 at 55°48′N 07°22′W / 55.800°N 7.367°W / 55.800; -7.367 . A total of 21 of the 39 crew were killed.[10] The survivors were picked up by HMS Arabis [8] and the Swedish merchantman Industria and landed at Belfast .[10] Those lost on Empire Adventure are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial , London.[12]
Official number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers .
Eastney and Empire Adventure had the UK Official Number 146165[13] Andrea had the Italian Official Number 1829.[14]
Andrea used the Code Letters NDAT[14] and IBXA.[15] Empire Adventure used the Code Letters GLXW.[13]
References
^ "SS Eastney (1921)" . www.tynebuiltships.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2017 .
^ a b c "EMPIRE - A" . Mariners-L. Retrieved 15 December 2008 .
^ "1145165" . Miramar Ship Index . Retrieved 15 December 2008 .
^ "Casualty reports". The Times . No. 45161. London. 26 March 1929. col G, p. 21.
^ "Casualty reports". The Times . No. 45163. London. 28 March 1929. col D, p. 26.
^ "Mails and Shipping, Casualty Reports". The Times . No. 43762. London. 4 March 1931. col F, p. 23.
^ "Casualty Reports". The Times . No. 46091. London. 26 March 1932. col E, p. 19.
^ a b "Naval Events, September 1940, Part 2 of 2, Sunday 15th – Monday 30th" . naval history.net. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2008 .
^ Ubootwaffe gives 21:26 on 20 September 1940 (German time), Uboatnet gives 02:27 on 21 September 1940
^ a b c "Empire Adventure" . uboat.net. Retrieved 15 December 2008 .
^ "EMPIRE ADVENTURE" . ubootwaffe.net. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2008 .
^ "Ship Index A-F" . Brian Watson. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011 .
^ a b "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF) . Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 10 January 2009 .
^ a b "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF) . Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 10 January 2009 .
^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF) . Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 10 January 2009 .
External links
55°48′N 7°22′W / 55.800°N 7.367°W / 55.800; -7.367
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1929
Shipwrecks Other incidents
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in September 1940
Shipwrecks
1 Sep: HMS Ivanhoe
2 Sep: UJ-121 Jochen
3 Sep: U-57
5 Sep: V 201 Gebrüder Kähler , V 403 Deutschland
7 Sep: HMS Inanda , HMS Inkosi
8 Sep: Antonios Chandris
13 Sep: Flandre
15 Sep: HMS Dundee
17 Sep: Borea , Aquilone , Crown Arun , HMS Sussex , Tregenna , V 304 Breslau
18 Sep: City of Benares
20 Sep: Commissaire Ramel , Java , New Sevilla
21 Sep: Canonesa
23 Sep: Empire Adventure , Empire Airman , L'Audacieux , Persée
24 Sep: Ajax , HMS Wellesley
Other incidents