Empire Bell
British Steam merchant
Empire Bell under her former name Belgia. Photo courtesy of Sjöhistoriska Museet, Stockholm
| Name | Empire Bell | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 1,744 tons | ||
| Completed | 1930 - Öresundsvarvet A/B, Landskrona | ||
| Owner | James Westroll Ltd, Sunderland | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 25 Sep 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-442 (Hans-Joachim Hesse) | ||
| Position | 62° 19'N, 15° 27'W - Grid AE 8519 | ||
| Complement | 37 (10 dead and 27 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | UR-42 | ||
| Route | Tyne - Loch Ewe (22 Sep) - Reykjavik | ||
| Cargo | 1832 tons of coal | ||
| History | Completed in May 1930 as Swedish Belgia (2023 grt) for Förnyade Ångfartygs-A/B Götha (F. Sternhagen), Gothenburg. On 26 Jan 1941, the Belgia was bombed by a German aircraft in the Thames Estuary and burned out. The vessel was rebuilt as Empire Bell for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | At 16.16 hours on 25 Sep 1942 the Empire Bell (Master George Charles May) in convoy UR-42 was torpedoed and sunk by U-442 west-southwest of the Faroe Islands. Ten crew members were lost. The master, 20 crew members and six gunners were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant Lysaker IV and landed at Reykjavik. | ||
| On board | We have details of 11 people who were on board. | ||
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