Empire Union
British Steam merchant
Photo from naviearmatori.net
| Name | Empire Union | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,952 tons | ||
| Completed | 1924 - Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste | ||
| Owner | Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd, Montreal | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 27 Dec 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-356 (Günther Ruppelt) | ||
| Position | 47° 30'N, 24° 30'W - Grid BD 41 | ||
| Complement | 69 (6 dead and 63 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | ONS-154 | ||
| Route | London - Loch Ewe (19 Dec) - St. John, New Brunswick | ||
| Cargo | 940 tons of general cargo, including government stores | ||
| History | Completed in April 1925 as Italian Salvore for Navigazione Libera-Triestina, Societa in Azioni, Trieste. 1927 renamed Sistiana and 1937 transferred to Società Anonima di Navigazione Lloyd Triestino, Trieste.
On 10 June 1940 the Sistiana was seized at Table Bay by the South African Navy and renamed Myrica for the South African Government. 1941 given to Britain and renamed Empire Union by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | About 02.40 hours on 27 December 1942 the Empire Union and Melrose Abbey in convoy ONS-154 were torpedoed and sunk north-northeast of the Azores. About 03.10 hours, the Soekaboemi and King Edward were also hit. All ships must have been torpedoed by U-356, which was herself lost after the attacks. The master, four crew members and one gunner from Empire Union (Master Hubert Arthur MacCallum) were lost. 59 crew members and four gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Toward (Master Gordon K. Hudson) and landed at Halifax on 9 January. | ||
| On board | We have details of 7 people who were on board. | ||
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