大象传媒 - WW2 People's War - S.S. Empire Amethyst

S.S. Empire Amethyst

by merchnvy

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Contributed by听: merchnvy
People in story:听: Ernest Kenneth Dubois
Location of story:听: Enroute from New Orleans to Freetown.(Lesser Antilles)
Background to story:听: Merchant Navy
Article ID:听: A2009224
Contributed on:听: 10 November 2003

This story is dedicated to the 47 crew members of the SS Empire Amethyst and all those "forgotten" hero's of the Merchant Navy. One of whom was 2nd Radio Officer, E K Dubois, aged 18 years.

On the 20 February 1942 the S.S. Empire Amethyst commenced her voyage from Swansea to New Orleans. Apart from off-loading the 19 year old test steward at Belfast due to illness, the outward journey was uneventful.

On the 6 April 1942, the S.S. Empire Amethyst set sail from New Orleans for Freetown. She was carrying 12000 tons of fuel. It appears that her master, G D Potter intended to pass through the lesser Antilles(South Dominican Republic) and then east towards Freetown. It appears also that the tanker was initially escorted by a destroyer. On the 12 April 1942, the S.S. Empire Amethyst was left to proceed unescorted. This due to her being capable of a reasonable speed or possibly the escort was going to the aid of the American ship Delvalla, which had been sunk by the U154(German U-boat). After being hit by three torpedo's, she sank at approximately 1142 hrs.

The U154 had taken shelter at St. Juan Harbour when the crew noticed the smoke from the S.S. Empire Amethyst and her escort on the horizon. The U154 immediatly moved closer but at 1600 hrs, they had lost site of the destroyer. The U154 then moved in front of the Empire Amethyst whilst their commander, FK Walther Kolle, plotted the Amethyst's general course.

The night of the 12 April 1942 was ideal for attack, 3/4 dark, 3nm visibility and a hazy horizon. Being low on torpedo's, Kolle chose to attack from the surface. At 2000 hrs the chase began with the Empire Amethyst zig-zagging between 140 degrees and a 100 degrees, but generally heading 110 degrees towards Trinidad. At 0024 hrs on the 13 April 1942 the Empire Amethyst made a sharp turn and in the darkness the crew of the U154 had lost her. At 0218 hrs the U154 cut her engines in the hope of hearing the tanker. The crew of the Empire Amethyst had almost escaped but the more experienced crew of the U154 continued on a heading of 110 degrees which was the general heading that the Amethyst had chosen.

At 0430 hrs, position EC6286, the U154 once again located the Empire Amethyst which was at full steam ahead and nolonger zig-zagging. At 0552 hrs, position EC6299, the U154 fired the first torpedo which struck under the tankers bridge. The second torpedo hit forward of the engine room. The S.S. Empire Amethyst exploded into bright flames forcing the U154 to take avoidance action from the flames which where still visible from 30nm miles away. Due to this, the U154 sought cover from some islands fearing that they may be detected and thus not recording the time that the S.S. Empire Amethyst sank.

The S.S Empire Amethyst was only lightly armed with six anti-aircraft gunners, so she never really stood a chance. All 47 crew members perished, to this day their records show, "Vessel Missing, supposed drowned." Since these people gave their lives for their country, I feel that at the very least one should update these records and honour the Merchant Navies efforts during the war.

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Message 1 - In Memory.....

Posted on: 30 March 2004 by deepseamcgee

One book source states that five men were picked up from the Empire Amethyst by the Norwegian tanker Inneroy. This can not be true as the Inneroy was sunk on the 22nd January 1942, nearly two months before the E.A. sinking.

The following men are on Tower Hill Panel 38

BARBER, Second Engineer Officer, RICHARD JOHN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 30. Son of John and Catherine Barber; husband of Alice May Barber, of Low Fell, Gateshead, Co. Durham.

BEYNON, Chief Steward, JAMES FREDERICK, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 38. Son of James Frederick and Elizabeth Ann Beynon.

BURKE, Fifth Engineer Officer, FRANCIS JAMES, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 27. Son of Francis Burke, and of Amy Burke, of Addiscombe, Croydon, Surrey.

CHAMBERS, Chief Engineer Officer, JAMES PENNYCOCK, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 64.

COLEMAN, Steward, VERNON, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 26. Son of Bernard and Edith Coleman of Slebech, Pembrokeshire.

CROSBY, Cadet, KENNETH WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 20.

CUTAJAR, Donkeyman, BENJAMIN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 47. Son of Phillip and Carrie Cutajar; husband of Ann Cutajar, of Loughor, Glamorgan

DAHL, Able Seaman, PETER MICHAEL, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 46

DAVIES, Sailor, SIMON, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 24. Son of Owen and Ann Davies.

DUBOIS, Second Radio Officer, ERNEST KENNETH, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 18

DUTTON, Third Engineer Officer, EDWARD WHITE, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 39. Son of Charles and Jane Dutton; husband of Mary A. Dutton, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

EVANS, Ordinary Seaman, LESLIE CHARLES, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 17. Son of William Evans, and of Mabel Evans, of Swansea. His brother Kenneth Francis George also fell.

EVANS, Boatswain, WILLIAM EVAN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 37. Husband of Evelyn Evans, of Mumbles, Glamorgan.

FLETCHER, Second Officer, COLIN SAMUEL, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 23. Son of Boston Brown Fletcher, and of Alice Mary Fletcher, of Denham, Buckinghamshire.

FOX, Able Seaman, JAMES, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 30. Son of James and Mary Fox; husband of Nora Fox, of Dublin, Irish Republic.

HALL, Able Seaman, SAMUEL, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 31. Son of Peter and Ann Hall; husband of Margaret Hall, of Town Hill, Swansea.

HAYWOOD, Fireman, FREDERICK JOHN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 31. Son of Will and Elizebeth Haywood; husband of B. M. Haywood, of Hafod, Swansea.

HUGHES, Cabin Boy, IVOR, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 17. Son of Daniel and Sarah Hannah Hughes, of Llanelly, Carmarthenshire.
JAMES, Fourth Engineer Officer, JOHN FREDERICK, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 21. Son of David Duncan James and Florence Kate James, of Penarth, Glamorgan.

JENKINS, Able Seaman, DANIEL JOHN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 25. Son of John and Annie Jenkins, of Dinas Cross, Pembrokeshire.

JONES, Cook, BENJAMIN THOMAS, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 23. Son of Elias and Phoebe Anne Jones.

KIEFT, Fireman, WILLIAM SAMUEL, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 34. Son of William George and Anna Maria Kieft, of Plasmarl, Swansea.

KINGDOM, Greaser, TREVOR, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 45.

LEONARD, Carpenter, KIERAM, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 49.

LETMAN, Third Officer, NORMAN KENNETH, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 22.

LEWIS, Able Seaman, GEORGE, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 40. Son of Nathan and Kayia Lewis; husband of Edith Mary Lewis, of Brynmill, Swansea.

LILLEY, First Radio Officer, ROLAND JAMES, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 30. Son of Joseph and Winifred Emma Lilley, of Hereford.

LLEWELLYN, Cabin Boy, MYRON, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 18.

LLOYD, Ordinary Seaman, ELWYN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 19. Son of William and Beatrice Lloyd.

LLOYD, Greaser, LEO, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 37. Son of David John and Nellie Lloyd.

MAYNE, Fireman, ALBERT REES, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 33.

MORGAN, Cook, DANIEL GEORGE, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 22.

MORRIS, Able Seaman, IVOR JAMES, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 25. Son of Thomas and Ann Morris.

McFARLANE, Able Seaman, WILLIAM MCCOLL, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 47.

NICHOLSON, Pumpman, CHRISTOPHER, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 62.

POTTER, Master, GEOFFREY DURBRIDGE, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 44. Son of William Manuel Potter and of Mary Ann Potter (nee Durbridge).

ROWAN, Third Radio Officer, JOHN MALCOLM, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 21.

TOWELL, Fireman, PHILIP, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 27. Son of Robert Hill Page Towell, and of Elizabeth Loveridge Towell, of Pentre Estyll, Swansea.

TULLY, Chief Officer, ALAN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 26. Son of Harold and Eleanor Charlton Tully, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

WILLIAMS, Sailor, HERBERT GEORGE, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 17. Son of Herbert John and Helene Alice Williams, of Mayhill, Swansea.

YEOUMANS, Greaser, CLIFFORD THOMAS, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). Merchant Navy. 14th April 1942. Age 32. Son of Alfred and Dora Yeoumans; husband of Sarah Gwendoline Yeoumans, of Brixton, London.

Canadian (Halifax Memorial)

EVANS, Able Seaman FRANK, LLEWELLYN, S.S. Empire Amethyst (Middlesbrough). (Royal Canadian Navy Vol. Reserve), Age 24. Son of George M. and Mary E. Evans, of Calgary, Alberta; husband of Lila Isabel Evans, of Calgary.

听

Message 2 - In Memory.....

Posted on: 15 September 2005 by merchnvy

The reason why Frank Evans does not appear on Tower Hill is because he was not part of the Merchant Navy. Nor where J Wright (23), H Ellock(25), F W Ridgeway(21), J Stevens(21) and J Marston(21). Frank Evans did not sign on as an Able Seaman but like the others he signed on as a Deckhand. All six where members of the forces and on board S.S. Empire Amethyst they where Gunners.

From research it appears that the S.S. Empire Amethyst was Master Potters first command.

From K枚lle's discription it is very unlikely that anyone survived or lived long enough to drown.

Not sure how to edit my original text but further research has revealed that what K枚lle thought was a "Destroyer" escort was actually the Canadian armed merchant cruiser HMC Prince Henry which had challenged the S.S. Empire Amethyst. The S.S Empire Amethyst relayed to the Prince Henry the co-ordinates received from the S.S. Delvalle which had sent a distress call. In so doing the S.S. Empire Amethyst played a role in the rescue of those survivors, for shortly after receiving this information the Prince Henry increased speed towards this location. Prince Henry managed to rescue some 44 survivors.

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