View source for SS Empire Blessing

{{Short description|Cargo ship which was built in 1943 by Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
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|Ship name= ''Empire Blessing''
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|Ship builder=Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland
|Ship yard number=298
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|Ship launched=1 October 1943
|Ship completed=January 1944
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|Ship registry={{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Sunderland
|Ship identification=*UK [[Official Number]] 180054
*Code Letters GCTW
*{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Charlie}}{{ICS|Tango}}{{ICS|Whiskey}}
|Ship owner=Ministry of War Transport
|Ship operator=W Runciman & Co Ltd
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|Ship out of service=19 March 1945
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|Ship fate= Mined and sunk, 19 March 1945
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|Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|7,064}}
*{{NRT|4,885}}
|Ship length={{convert|431|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|56|ft|3|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
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|Ship depth={{convert|35|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=Triple expansion steam engine
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'''''Empire Blessing''''' was a [[cargo ship]] which was built in 1943 by [[Bartram & Sons Ltd]], [[Sunderland, Tyne and Wear|Sunderland]]. She was built for the [[Ministry of War Transport]] (MoWT) and operated under the management of W Runciman & Co Ltd. In March 1945, ''Empire Blessing'' struck a [[naval mine|mine]] in the [[Scheldt]] and sank.

==Description==
''Empire Blessing'' was a {{GRT|7,064}} cargo ship. She was built by Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland,<ref name=Ships>{{cite book |first=and Sawyer, L A |last=Mitchell, W. H. |year=1995 |title=The Empire Ships |publisher=Lloyd's of London Press Ltd |location=London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong |isbn=1-85044-275-4}}</ref> as yard number 298. The ship was launched on 1 October 1943 and completed in January 1944.<ref name=Miramar>{{csr |register=MSI |id=1180054 |accessdate=25 November 2009}}</ref> She was {{convert|431|ft|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|56|ft|3|in|m|2}}  and a depth of {{convert|35|ft|2|in|m|2}}.<ref name=Blessing>{{cite web |url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/43/43b1109.pdf |title=Lloyd's register, Steamers & Motorships |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=25 November 2009}}</ref> The ship was powered by a [[triple expansion steam engine]] which had cylinders of {{convert|24+1/2|in|cm}}, {{convert|39|in|cm}} and  {{convert|70|in|cm}} diameter by  {{convert|48|in|cm}} stroke. It was manufactured by Worthington Simpson Ltd, [[Newark-on-Trent]].<ref name=Blessing/>

==Career==
''Empire Blessing'' was a member of a number of convoys during the [[Second World War]].

;ON 220
Convoy ON 220 sailed from [[Loch Ewe]] on 15 January 1944, bound for Canada and the United States. ''Empire Blessing'' set off in the convoy, but returned to Loch Ewe.<ref name=ON>{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/onconvoys3.html |title=ON Convoys – 1941-1945, Convoy ON 201 through ON 2491 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=25 November 2009}}</ref>

;ONS 29
Convoy ONS 29 sailed from [[Oban]] on 13 February 1944, bound for Canada and the United States.<ref name=ONS>{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/onsconvoys.html |title=ONS Convoys – 1943-1945, Convoy ONS 1 through ONS 51 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=25 November 2009}}</ref>

;HX 291
Convoy HX 291 departed [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]], [[Nova Scotia]] on 10 May 1944 and arrived at [[Liverpool]] on 27 May. ''Empire Blessing'' was carrying a cargo of [[sugar]] and was bound for the [[Inverness Firth]] to await further orders.<ref name=HX291>{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hx291.html |title=CONVOY HX 291 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=25 November 2009}}</ref>

''Empire Blessing'' was involved in the [[Operation Overlord|Normandy Landings]] in June 1944.<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/comedysoup/A2770175 |title=Walter Bennett's Experiences |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 November 2009}}</ref> On 19 March 1945, ''Empire Blessing'' struck a mine in the River Scheldt at [[Knocke]], Belgium ({{coord|51|24|N|3|17|E|display=inline,title}}) and sank. On 13 February 1954, {{MV|Seablue}} (formerly ''Empire Seablue'') struck the wreck of ''Empire Blessing'' and was holed. Although attempts were made to beach ''Seablue'', she sank {{convert|5|nmi|km}} west south west of [[Vlissingen]], Netherlands.<ref name=Ships/><ref name=Miramar/>

==Official Numbers and Code Letters==

Official Numbers were a forerunner to [[IMO ship identification number|IMO Numbers]]. ''Empire Blessing'' had the UK [[Official Number]] 180054 and used the [[Code Letters]] GCTW.<ref name=Blessing/>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{March 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Empire Blessing}}
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Wear]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Empire ships]]
[[Category:Ministry of War Transport ships]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by mines]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the North Sea]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in March 1945]]