SS Empire Dabchick Empire Dabchick was a Design 1019 cargo ship that was built in 1919 as Kisnop by Atlantic Corporation , Portsmouth , New Hampshire , United States for the United States Shipping Board ( USSB ) . She was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission ( USMC ) in 1937 . In 1940 she was transerred to the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) and renamed " Empire Dabchick " . She served until December 1942 , when she was torpedoed and sunk by . Description . The ship was built in 1919 by Atlantic Corporation , Portsmouth , New Hampshire . She was yard number 1 . The ship was overall , long between perpendiculars , She had a beam of , with a depth of . As built , she was assessed at 6 , 089 GRT , The ship was propelled by a 359 nhp triple expansion steam engine , which had cylinders of , and diameter by stroke . The engine was built by Atlantic Corporation , Taunton , Massachusetts . It drove a screw propeller and could propel the ship at . History . " Kisnop " was launched in 1919 , and completed in August of that year . She was built for the USSB and was transferred to the USMC in 1937 . Her port of registry was Portsmouth , New Hampshire . On transfer to the USMC , " Kisnop " was laid up in reserve . On 14 November 1940 , " Kisnop " was given to the United Kingdom , passing to the MoWT . She was renamed " Empire Dabchick " and placed under the management of Sir W Reardon Smith & Sons . The United Kingdom Official Number 168184 and Code Letters GNSN were allocated . Her port of registry was London . She was assessed at 5 , 995 GRT , 4 , 549 NRT . Later that year , management was transferred to J Morrison & Son , Newcastle upon Tyne . " Kisnop " was due to join Convoy HX 116 , but did not sail in that convoy , nor in the next convoy , HX 117 . " Kisnop " sailed in Convoy SC 28 , which departed from Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada on 9 April 1941 and arrived at Liverpool , Lancashire , United Kingdom on 28 April . " Kisnop " was carrying a cargo consisting general and special cargo , iron , steel and trucks . She was bound for Middlesbrough , Yorkshire . She straggled behind the convoy on 19 April and did not rejoin , putting into an Icelandic port . " Kisnop " had been renamed " Empire Dabchick " by 16 June 1941 , when she arrived at the Tyne . On 18 June , she joined Convoy FN 494 , which departed from Southend on Sea , Essex that day and arrived at Methil , Fife two days later . On 22 June , she joined Convoy EC 48 , which had departed from Southend on 20 June and arrived at the Clyde on 25 June . " Empire Dabchick " then sailed to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , arriving on 16 August . On 13 September , she departed Philadelphia for Sydney , Cape Breton , Canada , arriving on 19 September . She then joined Convoy SC 47 , which departed on 29 September and arrived at Liverpool on 20 October . " Empire Dabchick " was carrying general cargo . " Empire Dabchick " was a member of Convoy ON 37 , which departed from Liverpool on 15 November and dispersed at sea on 20 November at . She arrived at Halifax on 9 December . On 23 December , she sailed for New York , United States , where she arrived on 26 December . On 18 January , she departed New York for Halifax , arriving on 21 January . She then joined Convoy SC 66 , which departed on 23 January and arrived at Liverpool on 9 February . " Empire Dabchick " was carrying general cargo . She left the convoy at Belfast Lough on 8 February . On 11 February , she joined Convoy BB 136 , which arrived at Milford Haven , Pembrokeshire on 13 February . Her destination was Cardiff , Glamorgan , where she arrived that day . " Empire Dabchick " departed Cardiff on 1 March for Milford Haven , from where she joined Convoy ON 72 , which departed from Liverpool on 3 March and arrived at Halifax on 19 March . She was carrying a cargo of coal . She then joined Convoy XB4 , which departed Halifax on 26 March and arrived at Boston , Massachusetts , United States on 29 March . She left the convoy at the Cape Cod Canal on 28 March and sailed to New York , arriving on 1 April . " Empire Dabchick " then made a voyage to Baltimore , Maryland and back before she departed from New York on 17 April for Halifax , arriving on 20 April . She then joined Convoy SC 81 , which departed on 23 April and arrived at Liverpool on 9 May . She was carrying a cargo of steel . " Empire Dabchick " was a member of Convoy ON 98 , which departed from Liverpool on 26 May and arrived at Halifax on 11 June . Two days later , she departed Halifax for Pubnico , Nova Scotia , arriving the next day . On 16 July , she departed Pubnico for Halifax and New York , where she arrived on 27 July . " Empire Dabchick " departed from New York on 22 August for Cape Cod Bay , Massachusetts , from where she joined Convoy BX 35 , which had departed Boston on 26 August and arrived at Halifax on 29 August . She then joined Convoy SC 98 , which departed that day and arrived at Liverpool on 13 September . She was carrying general cargo . " Empire Dabchick " was a member of Convoy ON 136 , which departed from Liverpool on 3 October and arrived at New York on 26 October . She was carrying the convoy ' s Vice - Commodore , but she returned to the Clyde , arriving on 6 October . She left the Clyde on 11 October , joining Convoy ON 138 , which had departed from Liverpool on 11 October and arrived at New York on 3 November . She again returned to the Clyde , arriving on 16 October . She departed the Clyde on what was to be her final voyage on 15 November , joining Convoy ON 146 , which had departed from Liverpool that day and arrived at New York on 8 December . " Empire Dabchick " straggled behind the convoy . At 09 : 49 ( German time ) on 3 December 1942 , she was torpedoed and sunk by some south east of Sable Island , Nova Scotia , Canada ( ) with the loss of all 36 crew and eleven DEMS gunners . Those lost on " Empire Dabchick " are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial , London .