ST Empire Birch

History

Name:	Empire Birch
Owner:	Ministry of War Transport
Operator:	Ministry of War Transport
Port of registry:	Hull
Builder:	Henry Scarr Ltd, Hessle.
Yard number:	418
Launched:	9 August 1941
Completed:	12 December 1941
Out of service:	10 August 1942
Identification:	UK Official Number 167111 Code Letters BCVM
Fate:	Struck a mine, beached then sank
General characteristics
Tonnage:	245 GRT, 229 NRT
Length:	106 ft 7 in (32.49 m)
Beam:	26 ft 7 in (8.10 m)
Draught:	11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Propulsion:	One triple expansion steam engine 177 hp (132 kW).

Location of the sinking of Empire Birch off Mozambique.

Empire Birch was a 245 GRT tug built in 1941 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1942 she struck a mine and sank.

Description

Empire Birch was built by Henry Scarr Ltd, Hessle.^[1] She was yard number 418 and was launched on 9 August 1941 with completion on 12 December.^[2] She was 106 feet 7 inches (32.49 m) long, with a beam of 26 feet 7 inches (8.10 m) and a draught of 11 feet 6 inches (3.51 m). Her GRT was 245 with a NRT of 229.^[3]

Career

Empire Birch was operated by the MoWT, her port of registry was Hull.^[3] She was the lead ship of the Birch-class tugs.^[4] On 10 August 1942, Empire Birch hit a mine 150 nautical miles (280 km) north of Lourenço Marques (24°45′S 34°47′E / 24.750°S 34.783°E / -24.750; 34.783). Although she was beached and abandoned, Empire Birch slid off the beach and sank in deep water.^[1]

Official Numbers and Code Letters

Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. Empire Bermuda had the UK Official number 167111 and the Code Letters BCMV.^[3]

Propulsion

Empire Birch was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 16 inches (41 cm), 26 inches (66 cm) and 43 inches (110 cm) bore by 30 inches (76 cm) stroke. It was built by the O D Holmer & Co, Hull.^[3]

References

1 2 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.
↑ "16560". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 7 November 2009. (subscription required (help)).
1 2 3 4 "NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS DE MOINS de 300tx, CHALTIERS, &c" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
↑ "THUNDER CAPE". Welland Canal. Retrieved 7 November 2009.

Empire ships beginning with Empire B

Cargo ships	Empire Baffin Empire Balfour Empire Balham Empire Ballad Empire Ballantyne Empire Bank¹ Empire Banner Empire Barbados² Empire Bard² Empire Bardolph³ Empire Baron Empire Barracuda Empire Barrie Empire Baxter Empire Bay Empire Beacon¹ Empire Beaconsfield Empire Beatrice Empire Beaumont Empire Beauty Empire Beaver³ Empire Bede Empire Bell Empire Bermuda Empire Birdsay Empire Bison Empire Blackwater Empire Blanda Empire Blessing Empire Blossom Empire Bond Empire Boswell Empire Bowman Empire Boy Empire Breeze Empire Bridge¹ Empire Brigade Empire Bromley¹ Empire Brook¹ Empire Bruce Empire Brutus Empire Buckler Empire Buffalo Empire Builder Empire Bulbul¹ Empire Bunting Empire Burton Empire Buttress Empire Byng² Empire Byron

Landing ships	Empire Baltic Empire Battleaxe Empire Broadsword

Ocean liners	Empire Bittern Empire Brent Empire Bure⁴

Tankers	Empire Bairn¹ Empire Barkis¹ Empire Barnaby¹ Empire Belgrave¹ Empire Benefit Empire Beresford Empire Billow¹ Empire Bombardier Empire Bounty Empire Boxer¹ Empire Bronze Empire Bute¹

Tugs	Empire Barbara⁵ Empire Bascobel Empire Becky⁵ Empire Belle⁵ Empire Ben⁵ Empire Bess Empire Betsy⁵ Empire Birch⁵ Empire Bracken⁵

A B Ca–Cl Co–Cy D E F G H I–J K L M N O P R Sa–Sh Si–Sy Ta–Te Th–Ty U–Z

1 Coaster 2 Heavy lift ship 3 Refrigerated Cargo Ship 4 Cargo liner 5 Coastal tug

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