Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Howard

British Steam merchant


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NameEmpire Howard
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage6,985 tons
Completed1941 - Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow 
OwnerMonarch SS Co Ltd (Raeburn & VĂ©rel Ltd), Glasgow 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack16 Apr 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-403 (Heinz-Ehlert Clausen)
Position73° 48'N, 21° 50'E - Grid AC 4157
Complement62 (25 dead and 37 survivors).
ConvoyPQ-14
RouteTyne - Reykjavik (8 Apr) - Murmansk 
Cargo2000 tons of war materials, including army trucks 
History Built for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) 
Notes on event

At 14.45 hours on 16 April 1942 the Empire Howard (Master John McDonald Downie), the ship of convoy commodore in convoy PQ-14, was torpedoed by U-403 northwest of North Cape. The vessel sank in 57 seconds. The Commodore E. Rees DSC RNR, three of his staff, 18 crew members and three gunners were lost. The master and eight crew members were picked up by the British armed trawler HMS Lord Middleton (FY 219) (Lt R.H. Jameson) and 21 crew members, three gunners, two of the naval staff and two passengers were picked up by the British armed trawler HMS Northern Wave (FY 153) (Lt W.G. Pardoe-Matthews) and landed at Polarnoe near Murmansk.

 
On boardWe have details of 28 people who were on board


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