Empire Mersey
British Steam merchant
Empire Mersey under her former name Ramon de Larrinaga. Photo courtesy of Rick Cox Collection
| Name | Empire Mersey | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,791 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - R. Duncan & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Larrinaga & Co Ltd, Liverpool | ||
| Homeport | London | ||
| Date of attack | 14 Oct 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-618 (Kurt Baberg) | ||
| Position | 54° 00'N, 40° 15'W - Grid AJ 9323 | ||
| Complement | 55 (16 dead and 39 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-104 | ||
| Route | New York (3 Oct) - Manchester | ||
| Cargo | 8400 tons of government stores | ||
| History | Completed in March 1920 as Ramon De Larrinaga for Larrinaga & Co Ltd, Liverpool. On 8 Feb 1941, the ship sprang leak and was beached near Lewes, Delaware. Two days later the vessel capsized and sank. She was refloated, repaired at Baltimore and returned to service as Empire Mersey for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) in May 1942. | ||
| Notes on event | At 04.29 hours on 14 Oct 1942, U-618 fired a spread of four torpedoes at convoy SC-104 south-southeast of Cape Farewell and observed three hits. It is probable that all three hit and sank the Empire Mersey (Master Felix de Bastarrechea). The master, 13 crew members and two gunners were lost. 37 crew members and two gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Gothland (Master James Murray Hadden, OBE) and landed at Gourock on 21 October. | ||
| On board | We have details of 18 people who were on board. | ||
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