SS Empire Bell Empire Bell was a 1 , 744 GRT collier which was built by Öresundsvarvet , Landskrona , Sweden as the 2 , 023 GRT passenger ship Belgia in 1930 . In 1940 she was rebuilt as a cargo ship . In 1941 , she was damaged by enemy bombing and burnt out . She was salvaged and sold to the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) , repaired and renamed " Empire Bell " . She was torpedo ed and sunk by " U - 442 " on 25 September 1942 . Description . " Belgia " was built by Öresundsvarvet , Landskrona . She was yard number 28 and was launched on 11 January 1930 with completion on 7 May . She was long , with a beam of and a depth of . Her GRT was 2 , 023 , with a NRT of 1 , 074 . She was originally built as a passenger ship . Career . " Belgia " was owned by Förnyade Ångfartygs Aktiebolag Götha . She was managed by F Sternberg , Gothenborg , trading as the Gotha Line . Her port of registry was Gothenborg . " Belgia " was employed on the Gothenborg - Antwerp route . In 1940 , she was withdrawn from service and converted to a cargo ship , or collier . The rebuilt ship was 1 , 744 GRT . During the Second World War , " Belgia " was a member of a number of convoys . Convoy HN 23B departed from Norway on 31 March 1940 and arrived at Methil , Fife on 4 April . " Belgia " was carrying general cargo and was bound for Rouen , France . " Belgia " may have been a member of this convoy , or of Convoy HN 25 , which departed Bergen , Norway on 7 April and arrived at Methil on 12 April . Convoy HG 41 departed from Gibraltar on 11 August 1940 and arrived at Liverpool on 25 August . " Belgia " was carrying a cargo of iron pyrite s from Huelva , Spain and was bound for Ardrossan , Ayrshire , arriving on 26 August . On 26 January 1941 , " Belgia " was bombed by German aircraft and set on fire . At the time she was in the Thames Estuary . Six crew were killed in the attack . On 14 February she was salvaged and towed to Harwich , Essex . Her owners sold her to the MoWT who had her repaired and she was renamed " Empire Bell " . She was placed under the management of James Westroll Ltd and her port of registry was changed to South Shields . " Empire Bell " was a member of a number of convoys . Convoy RU 29 departed Reykjavík , Iceland on 25 June 1942 and arrived at Loch Ewe on 29 June . " Empire Bell " was carrying a cargo of vehicles with a destination of Hull . Convoy UR 42 departed Loch Ewe on 22 September 1942 and arrived at Reykjavík on 27 September . At 16 : 16 German time ( 15 : 16 British Double Summer Time ) " Empire Bell " was torpedoed and sunk by " U - 442 " at with the loss of ten of her 41 crew . The survivors were picked up by and landed at Reykjavík . Those lost on " Empire Bell " are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial , London . Official Numbers and Code Letters . Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers . " Belgia " had the Swedish Official Number 7636 and the Code Letters KHDP . In 1934 , her Code Letters were changed to SHTN . " Empire Bell " had the UK Official Number 168654 and the Code Letters BDSW . Propulsion . The ship was propelled by a compound steam engine which had four cylinders , two of 16 inches ( 420 mm ) diameter and two of 35 inches ( 900 mm ) by 35 inches ( 900 mm ) stroke . It was built by Aktiebolag Lindholmen - Motala .