SS British Corporal British Corporal was a 6 , 972 GRT tanker that was built in 1922 by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company , Jarrow , Northumberland , United Kingdom . She was built for the British Tanker Company . In 1940 , she was damaged in an attack by German E - boats . She was transferred to the British Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) and renamed Empire Corporal . She returned to service in 1942 following repairs , but was torpedo ed and sunk on 18 August by off the coast of Cuba . Description . The ship was built in 1922 by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Co Ltd , Jarrow , Northumberland . She was long , with a beam of . She had a depth of and a draught of . She was assessed at 6 , 972 GRT . 4 , 072 NRT . Her DWT was 10 , 817 . The ship was propelled by two steam turbines , double reduction geared and driving a single screw propellor . The turbines were built by Palmers . History . " British Corporal " was built for the British Tanker Company . She was launched in May 1922 . The United Kingdom Official Number 146561 and Code Letters KMDG were allocated . Her port of registry was London . She was employed on routes between the United Kingdom and the Middle East , as shown by her occasional mentions in " The Times " in connection with one of her crew being stabbed to death in Port Said , Egypt , in October 1928 , and a report of her having trouble with her condenser at Port Said in February 1932 . In 1934 , her Code Letters were changed to GFJV . On 6 November 1934 , " British Corporal " ran aground at Swansea , Wales . She was refloated the next day undamaged . At 05 : 15 on 6 August 1937 , " British Corporal " was attacked by three Spanish Nationalist aircraft when she was west of Algiers , Algeria ( ) , whilst on a voyage from Abadan , Iran , to the United Kingdom with a cargo of petrol . The attack lasted an hour , with both bombs and machine gun s being used . " British Corporal " was only slightly damaged , with her radio being put out of action for a time . The Italian steamship was also attacked . None of the crew of " British Corporal " were injured . Following the incident , she put into Algiers . Two reconnaissance aircraft were despatched from Algiers to search for the attackers . The French and Greek were attacked off Algiers the following day . On departing from Algiers , " British Corporal " was escorted by . Following the attack , the British Government made diplomatic protests to Spanish anti - Government forces then involved in the Spanish Civil War . Rear - Admiral Wells , of the Third Cruiser Squadron , raised the issue with naval authorities at Palma , Majorca , who admitted that their aircraft had been involved . They claimed the ship had not been displaying any colours , which was denied by the British . This information was passed back to London , which ordered British Ambassador to Spain Sir Henry Chilton to raise the issue at the Nationalist headquarters in Salamanca . Markings on the aircraft that attacked " British Corporal " were those of Nationalist forces . General Franco denied that his aircraft had been involved , and further denied that the naval authorities in Palma had admitted involvement . The French Government announced that it would provide escort for French ships sailing between Algeria and Marseilles . The British stated that prompt assistance would be given by the Royal Navy to any British ship under attack . They also informed the Spanish that any aircraft attacking British shipping was liable to be shot down . During the Second World War , " British Corporal " was a member of a number of convoys . She was a member of Convoy HX 80 , which departed Halifax , Nova Scotia , on 15 March 1942 and arrived at Liverpool on 27 March . She was carrying a cargo of aviation fuel . From HX 80 , " British Corporal " joined Convoy UR 18 , which departed from Loch Ewe on 27 March and arrived at Reykjavík , Iceland , on 7 April . She then joined Convoy PQ 14 , which departed from Reykjavík on 8 April and arrived at Murmansk , Soviet Union , on 19 April . Due to thick fog and pack ice , " British Corporal " left the convoy to return to Iceland , joining Convoy QP 18 for the return and arriving at Akureyri on 18 April . " British Corporal " joined Convoy RU 22 , which departed Reykjavík on 7 May and arrived at Loch Ewe on 11 May . She was to proceed to Methil , Fife , for orders . " British Corporal " was a member of Convoy OA 178 . On 4 July 1940 , " British Corporal " was attacked by S - Boats " S - 20 " and " S - 26 " in the English Channel ( ) , being hit in the stern by a torpedo . Later that day , she was dive - bombed by Junkers Ju 87 aircraft of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 and severely damaged . " British Corporal " was anchored at Portland , Dorset , and later towed to Southampton , Hampshire , arriving on 20 July . She had been on a voyage from Hull , Yorkshire , to Abadan and was in ballast . Following the attack , the Germans claimed that they had sunk a 12 , 000 ton tanker and a 6 , 000 ton merchant ship , whereas in fact they had damaged " British Corporal " and , a 5 , 000 ton merchant ship . " British Corporal " was taken over by the MoWT and repaired , remaining under the management of her former owners . She was a member of Convoy ON 14 , which departed Liverpool on 7 September 1941 and Loch Ewe on 10 September 1941 . The convoy dispersed at sea on 15 September . " British Corporal " was bound for New York , United States . She was commended by the Convoy Commodore for her good signalling and station keeping . In 1942 , the ship was renamed " Empire Corporal " . She was a member of Convoy ON 106 , which departed Loch Ewe on 23 June 1942 , bound for New York . On 9 August 1942 , " Empire Corporal " departed Curaçao , Netherlands Antilles , for Key West , Florida . She was carrying a cargo of 4 , 532 tons of petrol and 4 , 745 tons of white spirit . She joined Convoy TAW 12J . At 11 : 57 on 14 August , " Empire Corporal " was struck by a torpedo that had been fired by and sank off Barlovento Point , Cuba ( ) with the loss of six of her crew of 55 , including ten DEMS gunners . The survivors were picked up by USS " PT - 498 " and transferred to . They were landed at Guantánamo Bay , Cuba . Those lost on " Empire Corporal " are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial , London .