SS Empire Wave CAM ship

[phillkr]

Can anyone help?

My father was one of the RAF contingent aboard the SS Empire Wave which was a CAM ship and part of convoy ON-19. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-562 on the 2nd October 1941, my father was one of the survivors.

I am now looking for any information relating to the Empire Wave and if possible a photograph of the ship.

Phillkr

[Billy McGee]

Cargo ship Empire Wave, 7,463grt, (MOWT, Barr Crombie & Co.) had sailed in ballast from Sunderland and joined up with the Halifax, Nova Scotia bound 49 ship Convoy ON-19 which sailed from Liverpool. The Empire Wave was fitted as a CAM ship (Catapult Armed Merchantman), which could launch a single fighter aircraft to help protect ships in the Convoy from enemy attack. On the 2nd October 1941 500 miles East of Cape Farewell the ship was torpedoed by U-562 and sank in position 59’ 08N 32’ 56W. The Captain, nineteen crew, six DEMS gunners and nine RAF personnel were lost. Twenty-three crew, six gunners and two RAF personnel were spotted by a an American flying boat and picked up after fourteen days adrift by the Icelandic trawler Surprise and landed in Patrick’s Fjord, Iceland. They were later transferred to the US Destroyer USS Meredith and taken to Reykjavik. A number of survivors had to have limbs amputated due to frostbite that had turned gangrenous. The ships Chief Officer who had been in charge of the lifeboat was later awarded the MBE.

[phillkr]

Thanks for this information - it is very useful. I certainly didn't expect a reply so quickly!

Does a photograph exist of this vessel? I have found a number of pictures of similar CAM ships but to have a picture of the actual ship would be great.

Phillkr.

[Billy McGee]

A number of request have appeared on the internet regarding a photo of the Empire Wave. Unfortunately non seem to exist.