Empire Comet
British Motor merchant
Empire Comet at Boston after her maiden voyage. Photo courtesy of Michael Riddell.
| Name | Empire Comet | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 6,914 tons | ||
| Completed | 1941 - Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Dodd, Thomson & Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | Greenock | ||
| Date of attack | 17 Feb 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-136 (Heinrich Zimmermann) | ||
| Position | 58° 09'N, 13° 48'W - Grid AM 1811 | ||
| Complement | 46 (46 dead - no survivors) | ||
| Convoy | HX-174 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Bombay (12 Nov) - Table Bay (16 Dec) - Halifax (7 Feb) - Manchester | ||
| Cargo | 8672 tons of general cargo, including manganese ore, linseed, tea and groundnuts | ||
| History | Completed in January 1941 for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | At 22.17 hours on 17 Feb 1942 the unescorted Empire Comet (Master Hector Rayment Willis) was hit fore and aft by two torpedoes from U-136 about 33 miles north of Rockall. The U-boat had chased the ship for about two hours and observed how she quickly sank after being torpedoed, following a heavy detonation aboard. The master, 37 crew members and eight gunners were lost. The ship was reported missing after straggling from station #12 in convoy HX-174 and was presumed lost in position 58°15N/17°10W on 19 February. | ||
| On board | We have details of 46 people who were on board. | ||
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