Empire Engineer
British Steam merchant
Empire Engineer under her former name Gioacchino Lauro. Photo courtesy of Rick Cox Collection
| Name | Empire Engineer | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,358 tons | ||
| Completed | 1921 - Canadian Vickers Ltd, Montreal, Quebec | ||
| Owner | Weidner, Hopkins & Co, Newcastle-upon-Tyne | ||
| Homeport | West Hartlepool | ||
| Date of attack | 4 Feb 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-123 (Karl-Heinz Moehle) | ||
| Position | 54° 21'N, 23° 15'W - Grid AL 5718 | ||
| Complement | 40 (40 dead - no survivors) | ||
| Convoy | SC-20 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Sydney, CB - Newport, Monmouthshire | ||
| Cargo | 7047 tons of steel ingots | ||
| History | Completed in April 1921 as Canadian Commander for the Canadian Government (Merchant Marine Ltd), Montreal. 1928 transferred to Canadian National Steamships Ltd, Montreal. 1932 sold to Italy and renamed Gioacchino Lauro for Achille Lauro, Naples. On 10 Jun 1940, seized by Britain at West Hartlepool and was renamed Empire Engineer by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | At 16.44 hours on 4 Feb 1941 the unescorted Empire Engineer (Master John Whiteley), a straggler from convoy SC-20, was hit forward by one G7e torpedo from U-123 and sank by the bow within 4 minutes about 375 miles west-southeast of Rockall. The Germans observed some survivors on rafts at the sinking position, but the master, 38 crew members and one gunner were lost. | ||
| On board | We have details of 40 people who were on board. | ||
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