Empire Light
British Motor tanker
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| Name | Empire Light | ||
| Type: | Motor tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 6,537 tons | ||
| Completed | 1925 - John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank | ||
| Owner | H.E. Moss & Co, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | Liverpool | ||
| Date of attack | 12 Mar 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-468 (Klemens Schamong) | ||
| Position | 53° 57'N, 46° 14'W - Grid AJ 9585 | ||
| Complement | 50 (45 dead and 5 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | ON-168 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Manchester - New York | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Completed in September 1925 as Lumen for H.E. Moss & Co Tankers Ltd, Liverpool. 1942 renamed Empire Light by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | At 18.20 hours on 7 March 1943 U-638 (Bernbeck) attacked a straggler from convoy ON-168 in bad weather southwest of Cape Farewell and Bernbeck thought that he had missed, but the Empire Light (Master A.L. Lewis) was damaged and abandoned. 39 crew members and six gunners were lost. The master, three crew members and one gunner were picked up by HMS Beverley (H 64) (LtCdr R.A Price, RN) and landed at St. John’s, Newfoundland. At 22.12 hours on 12 March, U-468 sank the abandoned Empire Light with two coups de grâce. | ||
| On board | We have details of 44 people who were on board. | ||
Attack entries for Empire Light
| Date | U-boat | Commander | Loss type | Tons | Nat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar 1943 | U-638 | Kptlt. Hinrich-Oscar Bernbeck | Damaged | 6,537 | |
| 12 Mar 1943 | U-468 | Oblt. Klemens Schamong | Sunk | 6,537 | |
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