Empire Capulet was a 7,044 GRTcargo ship which was built in 1943 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1946 she was sold and renamed Hesione. She served until 1960 when she was scrapped.
History
Name
Empire Capulet (1943-46)
Hesione (1946-60)
Owner
Ministry of War Transport (1944-46)
British & South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd (1946-60)
Operator
A Holt & Co Ltd (1943-44)
Glen Line Ltd (1944-45)
British & South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd (1945-46)
The ship was built by John Readhead & Sons Ltd, South Shields,[1] as yard number 532.[2] She was launched on 20 January 1943 and completed in March.[1]
The ship was 430 feet 9 inches (131.29 m) long, with a beam of 56 feet 2 inches (17.12 m) and a depth of 35 feet 2 inches (10.72 m). Her GRT was 7,044, with a NRT of 4,869.[3] Her DWT was 10,300.[2]
She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 24+1⁄2 inches (62 cm), 39 inches (99 cm) and 70 inches (180 cm) diameter and 48 inches (120 cm) stroke.[3] The ship could make 9 knots (17 km/h).[4]
Historyedit
Empire Canpulet was built for the MoWT. She was initially placed under the management of A Holt & Co. The Official Number 169050 and Code Letters BFGB were allocated and her port of registry was South Shields.[3] Management was soon transferred to Glen Line Ltd.[5]
Empire Capulet was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
MKS 26
Convoy MKS 26 departed Alexandria, Egypt on 24 September 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 17 October. Empire Capulet left the convoy at Malta.[6]
MKS 37
Convoy MKS 37 departed Port Said, Egypt on 10 January 1944 and arrived at the Clyde on 3 February. Empire Capulet joined the convoy at Alexandria, Egypt and left it at Augusta, Italy.[7]
In the immediate aftermath of the Allied Invasion of Normandy, Empire Capulet was pressed into service as a troopship. She embarked troops from the 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery at Newhaven, East Sussex on 9 and 10 June 1944, and sailed to an assembly area off Southend on Sea, Essex, from where the convoy which had assembled sailed on 12 June. Empire Capulet anchored off Luc-sur-Mer, Calvados on 13 June to unload her cargo. At 23:30, she was attacked by enemy aircraft which dropped anti-personnel bombs, setting fire a raft alongside Empire Capulet which had been loaded with two lorries and a motorcycle. The raft was set adrift and allowed to burn itself out. Sixteen casualties were sustained on board Empire Capulet. Unloading of Empire Capulet was completed at 03:30 on 14 June.[4]
In 1946, Empire Capulet was sold to the British & South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd and was renamed Hesione,[1] the third ship to carry that name.[9] She was operated under the management of Houston Line (London) Ltd. Hesione served until 1960. She arrived on 5 October 1960 at Hong Kong for scrapping.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcdMitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN1-85044-275-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ ab"John Readhead's Shipyard - 1909 to 1968". John Bage. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
^"CONVOY MKS 26". Warsailors. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
^"CONVOY MKS 37". Warsailors. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
^Ferguson, Hugh (28 December 2005). "Last Wartime Voyage of EMPIRE CAPULET". BBC. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
^"R.P. Houston & Company / Houston Line". The Ships List. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
April 12, 2024
empire, capulet, empire, capulet, cargo, ship, which, built, 1943, ministry, transport, mowt, 1946, sold, renamed, hesione, served, until, 1960, when, scrapped, historynameempire, capulet, 1943, hesione, 1946, ownerministry, transport, 1944, british, south, am. Empire Capulet was a 7 044 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1943 for the Ministry of War Transport MoWT In 1946 she was sold and renamed Hesione She served until 1960 when she was scrapped HistoryNameEmpire Capulet 1943 46 Hesione 1946 60 OwnerMinistry of War Transport 1944 46 British amp South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd 1946 60 OperatorA Holt amp Co Ltd 1943 44 Glen Line Ltd 1944 45 British amp South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd 1945 46 Houston Line London Ltd 1946 60 Port of registrySouth Shields 1944 46 London 1946 60 BuilderJohn Readhead amp Sons LtdYard number532Launched20 January 1943CompletedMarch 1943IdentificationCode Letters BFGB United Kingdom Official Number 169050FateScrapped 1960 General characteristicsTonnage7 044 GRT 4 869 NRT 10 300 DWTLength430 ft 9 in 131 29 m Beam56 ft 2 in 17 12 m Depth35 ft 2 in 10 72 m Installed powerTriple expansion steam enginePropulsionScrew propellorSpeed9 knots 17 km h Description editThe ship was built by John Readhead amp Sons Ltd South Shields 1 as yard number 532 2 She was launched on 20 January 1943 and completed in March 1 The ship was 430 feet 9 inches 131 29 m long with a beam of 56 feet 2 inches 17 12 m and a depth of 35 feet 2 inches 10 72 m Her GRT was 7 044 with a NRT of 4 869 3 Her DWT was 10 300 2 She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24 1 2 inches 62 cm 39 inches 99 cm and 70 inches 180 cm diameter and 48 inches 120 cm stroke 3 The ship could make 9 knots 17 km h 4 History editEmpire Canpulet was built for the MoWT She was initially placed under the management of A Holt amp Co The Official Number 169050 and Code Letters BFGB were allocated and her port of registry was South Shields 3 Management was soon transferred to Glen Line Ltd 5 Empire Capulet was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War MKS 26Convoy MKS 26 departed Alexandria Egypt on 24 September 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 17 October Empire Capulet left the convoy at Malta 6 MKS 37Convoy MKS 37 departed Port Said Egypt on 10 January 1944 and arrived at the Clyde on 3 February Empire Capulet joined the convoy at Alexandria Egypt and left it at Augusta Italy 7 In the immediate aftermath of the Allied Invasion of Normandy Empire Capulet was pressed into service as a troopship She embarked troops from the 53rd Worcestershire Yeomanry Airlanding Light Regiment Royal Artillery at Newhaven East Sussex on 9 and 10 June 1944 and sailed to an assembly area off Southend on Sea Essex from where the convoy which had assembled sailed on 12 June Empire Capulet anchored off Luc sur Mer Calvados on 13 June to unload her cargo At 23 30 she was attacked by enemy aircraft which dropped anti personnel bombs setting fire a raft alongside Empire Capulet which had been loaded with two lorries and a motorcycle The raft was set adrift and allowed to burn itself out Sixteen casualties were sustained on board Empire Capulet Unloading of Empire Capulet was completed at 03 30 on 14 June 4 On 7 August 1944 Empire Capulet departed Newport Monmouthshire on a voyage that was to last for two years and two months She arrived at Liverpool on 3 October 1946 having visited Canada the United States the Mediterranean India Japan and South Africa 8 In 1946 Empire Capulet was sold to the British amp South American Steam Navigation Co Ltd and was renamed Hesione 1 the third ship to carry that name 9 She was operated under the management of Houston Line London Ltd Hesione served until 1960 She arrived on 5 October 1960 at Hong Kong for scrapping 1 References edit a b c d Mitchell W H and Sawyer L A 1995 The Empire Ships London New York Hamburg Hong Kong Lloyd s of London Press Ltd ISBN 1 85044 275 4 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link a b John Readhead s Shipyard 1909 to 1968 John Bage Archived from the original on 4 August 2012 Retrieved 7 March 2010 a b c LLOYD S REGISTER STEAMERS amp MOTORSHIPS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 7 March 2010 a b 53rd Worcestershire Yeomany Airlanding Light Regiment RA Pegasus Archive Retrieved 7 March 2010 LLOYD S REGISTER STEAMERS amp MOTORSHIPS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 7 March 2010 CONVOY MKS 26 Warsailors Retrieved 7 March 2010 CONVOY MKS 37 Warsailors Retrieved 7 March 2010 Ferguson Hugh 28 December 2005 Last Wartime Voyage of EMPIRE CAPULET BBC Retrieved 7 March 2010 R P Houston amp Company Houston Line The Ships List Retrieved 7 March 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SS Empire Capulet amp oldid 1214348108, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
