Empire Lytton
British Steam tanker
The burning Empire Lytton
| Name | Empire Lytton | ||
| Type: | Steam tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 9,807 tons | ||
| Completed | 1942 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough | ||
| Owner | Harris & Dixon Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | Middlesbrough | ||
| Date of attack | 9 Jan 1943 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-442 (Hans-Joachim Hesse) | ||
| Position | 28° 08'N, 28° 20'W - Grid DG 8635 | ||
| Complement | 48 (15 dead and 33 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | TM-1 | ||
| Route | Curaçao - Trinidad - Gibraltar | ||
| Cargo | 12,500 tons of aviation spirit | ||
| History | Completed in August 1942 for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) | ||
| Notes on event | At 07.27 hours on 9 January 1943, U-442 attacked convoy TM-1 west of the Canary Islands and claimed hits on two tankers, but in fact only one torpedo had hit the Empire Lytton (Master John William Andrews). The chief officer, ten crew members and four gunners were lost. The master, 30 crew members and three gunners were picked up by HMS Saxifrage (K 04) (Lt N.L. Knight, RNR) and landed at Gibraltar. HMS Havelock (H 88) (Cdr R.C. Boyle, DSC, RN) failed to sink the wreck with gunfire. At 14.50 hours on 9 January, U-442 found the drifting tanker and torpedoed her again, but the tanker remained afloat and only sank after a further torpedo hit at 19.38 hours. | ||
| On board | We have details of 22 people who were on board. | ||
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