Empire Bunting was built as Eelbeck by the shipbuilding firm of Skinner & Eddy Corporation, Seattle, Washington, and launched on 28 June 1919 and completed in August 1919 for service with United States Shipping Board (USSB).[1] She was 401 feet 7 inches (122.40 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet 8 inches (16.66 m) and a depth of 32 feet 5 inches (9.88 m). She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24+1⁄2 inches (62 cm), 41+1⁄2 inches (105 cm) and 72 inches (180 cm) bore by 48 inches (120 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Hooven, Owens & Rentschler, Hamilton, Ohio.[2] The ship had a speed of 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h).[1]
Career
Eelbeck's port of registry was Seattle.[2] She sailed for the USSB until the board's abolition, and by 1937 was sailing for its successor organisation, the United States Maritime Commission.[3]Eelbeck continued to sail under the American flag after the outbreak of the Second World War, during the period of American neutrality. In 1941, with the American entry to the war, Eelbeck was transferred to the ownership of the Ministry of War Transport, which assigned her to be operated by the firm of Headlam & Sons, under the name of Empire Bunting.[3] Her port of registry was changed to London.[4]
Empire Bunting went on to sail in a considerable number of convoys across the North Atlantic, often carrying scrap steel or general cargo to Britain from Canada or the United States.[5]
SC 38
Convoy SC 38 departed Sydney, Nova Scotia on 22 July 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 8 August. Empire Bunting was carrying a cargo of scrap steel. She was forced to return to St John's after she collided with the Greek merchant ship Dimitrios Chandris.[6]
SC 121
Convoy SC 121 departed New York on 23 February 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 14 March.[7]Empire Bunting was one of three ships which joined the convoy from St. John's, Newfoundland.[7][8] She was carrying a general cargo bound for the Clyde.[7] On 11 March, her steering failed and she arrived at Liverpool under tow.[8]
HX 254
Convoy HX 254 departed New York on 27 August 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 12 September. Empire Bunting was carrying a general cargo bound for Glasgow. She put into St John's with an engine defect which was causing her to produce heavy smoke and run at reduced speed.[9]
In early 1944 she was reassigned to be operated by J&J Denholm Ltd, but in February she was bought by the Admiralty.[10] She made her last wartime voyage as part of one of the Corn cob convoys, sailing from Poole to the Seine Bay in early June 1944.[11] She was scuttled at Juno Beach on 9 June 1944, forming one of the corn cobs designed to shelter the landing beaches for the invasion forces.[10]
Empire Bunting was salvaged in 1947, towed to Strangford Lough and broken up there.[3]
Official Numbers, code letters and call signs
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. Eelbeck had the US Official Number 218667.[2]Empire Bunting had the UK Official Number 168163.[4]
Eelbeck used the code letters LSGC until 1934,[2] when they were replaced with the Call sign KINQ.[12]Empire Bunting used the call sign GMKM.[4]
Hague, Arnold. "Ship search". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Convoyweb. Retrieved 18 February 2009. (Enter search term 'Empire Bunting')
August 22, 2023
empire, bunting, cargo, ship, which, built, 1919, service, between, wars, under, flag, transferred, ministry, transport, second, world, made, number, cross, atlantic, voyages, often, sailing, convoys, ended, career, being, sunk, blockship, normandy, coast, sup. SS Empire Bunting was a 6 318 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1919 She saw service between the wars under the US flag and was transferred to the UK Ministry of War Transport in the Second World War She made a number of cross Atlantic voyages often sailing in convoys She ended her career by being sunk as a blockship on the Normandy coast supporting the allied landings there in 1944 HistoryNameEelbeck 1919 41 Empire Bunting 1941 47 OwnerUnited States Shipping Board 1919 37 United States Maritime Commission 1937 41 Ministry of War Transport 1941 44 Admiralty 1944 OperatorUnited States Shipping Board 1919 37 United States Maritime Commission 1937 41 Headlam amp Son 1941 44 J amp J Denholm Ltd 1944 Port of registrySeattle 1919 41 London 1941 44 BuilderSkinner amp Eddy Corporation Seattle WashingtonYard number57Launched28 June 1919CompletedAugust 1919IdentificationUnited States Official Number 218667 1919 41 United Kingdom Official Number 168163 1941 44 code letters LSGC 1919 34 Call sign KINQ 1934 41 call sign GNKN 1941 44 FateSunk as a blockship on 9 June 1944 Re floated and scrapped in 1947General characteristicsTonnage6 318 GRTLength401 ft 7 in 122 40 m Beam54 ft 8 in 16 66 m Depth32 ft 5 in 9 88 m Speed11 5 knots 21 3 km h class notpageimage Location of the sinking of Empire Bunting Contents 1 Description 2 Career 3 Official Numbers code letters and call signs 4 Notes 5 ReferencesDescription EditEmpire Bunting was built as Eelbeck by the shipbuilding firm of Skinner amp Eddy Corporation Seattle Washington and launched on 28 June 1919 and completed in August 1919 for service with United States Shipping Board USSB 1 She was 401 feet 7 inches 122 40 m long with a beam of 54 feet 8 inches 16 66 m and a depth of 32 feet 5 inches 9 88 m She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24 1 2 inches 62 cm 41 1 2 inches 105 cm and 72 inches 180 cm bore by 48 inches 120 cm stroke The engine was built by Hooven Owens amp Rentschler Hamilton Ohio 2 The ship had a speed of 11 5 knots 21 3 km h 1 Career EditEelbeck s port of registry was Seattle 2 She sailed for the USSB until the board s abolition and by 1937 was sailing for its successor organisation the United States Maritime Commission 3 Eelbeck continued to sail under the American flag after the outbreak of the Second World War during the period of American neutrality In 1941 with the American entry to the war Eelbeck was transferred to the ownership of the Ministry of War Transport which assigned her to be operated by the firm of Headlam amp Sons under the name of Empire Bunting 3 Her port of registry was changed to London 4 Empire Bunting went on to sail in a considerable number of convoys across the North Atlantic often carrying scrap steel or general cargo to Britain from Canada or the United States 5 SC 38Convoy SC 38 departed Sydney Nova Scotia on 22 July 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 8 August Empire Bunting was carrying a cargo of scrap steel She was forced to return to St John s after she collided with the Greek merchant ship Dimitrios Chandris 6 SC 121Convoy SC 121 departed New York on 23 February 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 14 March 7 Empire Bunting was one of three ships which joined the convoy from St John s Newfoundland 7 8 She was carrying a general cargo bound for the Clyde 7 On 11 March her steering failed and she arrived at Liverpool under tow 8 HX 254Convoy HX 254 departed New York on 27 August 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 12 September Empire Bunting was carrying a general cargo bound for Glasgow She put into St John s with an engine defect which was causing her to produce heavy smoke and run at reduced speed 9 In early 1944 she was reassigned to be operated by J amp J Denholm Ltd but in February she was bought by the Admiralty 10 She made her last wartime voyage as part of one of the Corn cob convoys sailing from Poole to the Seine Bay in early June 1944 11 She was scuttled at Juno Beach on 9 June 1944 forming one of the corn cobs designed to shelter the landing beaches for the invasion forces 10 Empire Bunting was salvaged in 1947 towed to Strangford Lough and broken up there 3 Official Numbers code letters and call signs EditOfficial Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers Eelbeck had the US Official Number 218667 2 Empire Bunting had the UK Official Number 168163 4 Eelbeck used the code letters LSGC until 1934 2 when they were replaced with the Call sign KINQ 12 Empire Bunting used the call sign GMKM 4 Notes Edit a b 2218667 Miramar Ship Index Retrieved 18 February 2009 a b c d LLOYD S REGISTER NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 30 December 2009 a b c EMPIRE B mariners l co uk Retrieved 18 February 2009 a b c LLOYD S REGISTER NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 30 December 2009 Ship search Convoyweb Retrieved 6 January 2009 Enter search term Empire Bunting Convoy SC 38 Convoyweb Retrieved 18 February 2009 a b c CONVOY SC 121 Warsailors Retrieved 30 December 2009 a b Convoy SC 121 Convoyweb Retrieved 18 February 2009 CONVOY HX 254 Warsailors Retrieved 30 December 2009 a b Colledge Ships of the Royal Navy Vol 2 p 119 Convoy Corncob 1 Convoyweb Retrieved 18 February 2009 LLOYD S REGISTER STEAMERS AND MOTORSHIPS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 30 December 2009 References EditColledge J J Ships of the Royal Navy An Historical Index Volume 2 Navy built Trawlers Drifters Tugs and Requisitioned Ships Newton Abbot David amp Charles Finch Ted 2001 Empire B The Empire Ships mariners l co uk Retrieved 18 February 2009 2218667 Miramar Ship Index Retrieved 18 February 2009 Hague Arnold Ship search Arnold Hague Convoy Database Convoyweb Retrieved 18 February 2009 Enter search term Empire Bunting Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SS Empire Bunting amp oldid 1086475772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
