SS Iserlohn ( 1909 ) Iserlohn was a 4 , 667 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1909 by Reiherstieg Schiffswerfte & Maschinenfabrik , Hamburg , Germany . She was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1919 , passing to the Admiralty . In 1921 , she was sold into merchant service and renamed Union City . She was sold to Finland in 1924 and renamed Wasaborg . In 1935 , she was sold to Italy and renamed Erica . In 1940 , she was seized by the United Kingdom and passed to the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) . Renamed Empire Defiance , she served until June 1944 , when she was sunk as a blockship at Sword Beach , Ouistreham , France in support of Operation Overlord . She was salvaged in 1951 and scrapped at Antwerp , Belgium . Description . The ship was built in 1909 by Reiherstieg Schiffswerfte & Maschinenfabrik , Hamburg . She was yard number 426 . The ship was long , with a beam of . She had a depth of . She was assessed at 4 , 667 GRT , 2 , 760 NRT . Her DWT was 7 , 669 . The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine . , which had cylinders of , 121 cm ( 47⅝ inches ) and 195 cm ( 76¾ inches ) diameter by stroke . The engine was built by Reiherstieg Schiffswerfte & Maschinenfabrik , Hamburg . History . " Iserlohn " was built for Deutsche - Australische Dampfschiffs Gesellschaft , Hamburg . She was launched on 14 August 1909 . Her port of registry was Hamburg . In 1914 , " Iserlohn " was interned at Batavia , Dutch East Indies . She was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1919 , passing to the British Shipping Controller . She was operated under the management of the British - India Steam Navigation Co Ltd . " Iserlohn " was allocated the Official Number 143916 . In 1921 , " Iserlohn " was advertised for sale " to British Nationals only " . She was available for inspection at London . She was sold to William Reardon Smith & Sons and renamed " Union City " . She was operated under the management of the St Just Steamship Co Ltd , Bideford , Devon . In 1924 , " Union City " was sold to J A Zachariassen & Co , Uusikaupunki , Finland and was renamed " Wasaborg " . The Finnish Official Number 323 was allocated in 1927 . " Wasaborg " used the Code Letters VBTP from 1927 – 33 , and OHBR from 1934 . On 26 December 1932 , a ship named " Wasaborg " was involved in a collision with the London and North Eastern Railway ship off Terneuzen , Netherlands . Both ships suffering only light damage . In 1935 , " Wasaborg " was sold to Achille Lauro & Co , Naples , Italy and was renamed " Erica " . The Italian Official Number 438 and Code Letters IBNN were allocated . On 10 June 1940 , " Erica " was in port at Liverpool , Lancashire , United Kingdom . She was seized and passed to the MoWT as a prize of war . Renamed " Empire Defiance " , she was placed under the management of T & J Brocklebank . She was reallocated the Official Number 143916 and allocated the Code Letters GWLC . " Empire Defiance " departed from Liverpool on 18 July as a member of Convoy OB 188 , which dispersed at sea on 27 July . Her destination was Freetown , Sierra Leone , where she arrived on 3 September . She departed from Freetown on 20 September for Cape Town , South Africa , arriving on 2 November and departing six days later for Durban , where she arrived on 8 November . Five days later , " Empire Defiance " departed from Durban for Calcutta , India , arriving on 10 December . " Empire Defiance " departed from Calcutta on 29 April 1941 for Madras , arriving on 3 May and departing two days later for Colombo , Ceylon , where she arrived on 9 May . On 11 May , she departed for Durban , arriving on 30 May . She departed from Durban on 12 June for Cape Town , arriving on 17 June and departing four days later for St Thomas , United States Virgin Islands , where she arrived on 18 July . The next day , " Empire Defiance " departed from St Thomas for Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada , arriving on 27 July . She departed from Halifax on 6 August for Sydney , Cape Breton , arriving the next day . She departed from Sydney on 10 August as a member of Convoy SC 40 , which arrived at Liverpool on 29 August . " Empire Defiance " was carrying general cargo . " Empire Defiance " was a member of Convoy OS 8 , which departed from Liverpool on 3 October and arrived at Freetown on 26 October . She was carrying general cargo with a stated destination of Calcutta . She departed from Freetown on 30 October for Cape Town , arriving on 17 November . On 29 November , she departed for Durban , where she arrived on 4 December , departing four days later for Trincomalee , Ceylon , where she arrived on 30 December . " Empire Defiance " departed from Trincomalee on 11 January 1942 for Calcutta , where she arrived on 17 January . She departed from Calcutta on 8 March for Cuddalore , arriving on 12 March and departing two days later for Colombo , where she arrived on 17 March . She departed on 30 March for Durban , arriving on 16 April and departing eight days later for Cape Town , where she arrived on 29 May . She departed from Cape Town on 4 May and arrived at Freetown on 19 May . " Empire Defiance " was a member of Convoy SL 112 , which departed from Freetown on 4 June and arrived at Liverpool on 23 June . She was carrying a cargo of jute , pig iron and tea . She left the convoy at Loch Ewe on 22 June , joining Convoy WN 300 , which departed on 23 June and arrived at Methil , Fife two days later . She left the convoy at Dundee , Forfarshire . " Empire Defiance " the sailed to Methil , where she joined Convoy FS 847 , which departed on 5 July and arrived at Southend , Essex two days later . She left the convoy at the Tyne on 6 July . She departed the Tyne on 13 July to join Convoy FN 758 , which had departed from Southend on 12 July and arrived at Methil two days later . " Empire Defiance " was a member of Convoy EN 116 , which departed from Methil on 27 July and arrived at Loch Ewe two days later . Her destination was Oban , Argyllshire , where she arrived on 30 July . She sailed from Oban on 1 August to join Convoy OS 36 , which departed from Liverpool on 31 July and arrived at Freetown on 18 August . She was carrying a cargo described as " stores " destined for Calcutta . She sailed on to Durban , from where she departed on 15 September 1942 for Colombo , arriving on 1 October and departing three days later for Trincomalee , where she arrived on 6 October . " Empire Defiance " departed from Trincomalee on 17 October but arrived back there three days later . She departed again on 11 November for Calcutta , where she arrived on 18 November . " Empire Defiance " departed from Calcutta on 20 January 1943 for Madras , arriving three days later . She departed from Madras three days after that , arriving at Colombo on 2 February . " Empire Defiance " departed from Colombo on 14 February for Cape Town , where she arrived on 7 March , departing four days later for Freetown , arriving on 26 March . " Empire Defiance " was a member of Convoy SL 127 , which departed from Freetown on 31 March and arrived at Liverpool on 24 April . She was carrying a cargo of copra , mails and pig iron , as well as twelve passengers . She was bound for Loch Ewe , where she arrived on 22 April . She then joined Convoy WN419 to Methil and Convoy FS 1099 to Southend , where she arrived on 27 April . " Empire Defiance " departed from Southend on 2 June with for Loch Ewe , which was reached on 6 June via convoys FN 1037 and EN 234 . She then sailed to Oban , from where she departed on 9 June to join Convoy ONS 10 , which departed from Liverpool on 8 June and arrived at Halifax on 27 June . She was carrying general cargo destined for New York , United States . The then joined Convoy XB 60 , which departed from Halifax that day and arrived at the Cape Cod Canal , Massachusetts on 29 June . Arrival at New York was on 30 June . " Empire Defiance " departed from New York on 4 July for the Hampton Roads , Virginia . A return trip was made to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania before she returned to New York , from where she departed on 21 July for Boston , Massachusetts . " Empire Defiance " was a member of Convoy BX 75 , which departed from Boston on 24 July and arrived at Halifax two days later . She the joined Convoy SC 143 , which departed from Halifax on 28 September and arrived at Liverpool on 12 October . She was carrying a cargo of grain and general cargo . On arrival at Liverpool " Empire Defiance " was laid up , and used as a storage hulk . In 1944 , management of " Empire Defiance " was transferred to J & J Denholm . She departed from Liverpool under escort on 7 April bound fro Oban , from where she departed under escort on 30 May for Poole Dorset . " Empire Defiance " was a member of the Corncob 1 Convoy . On 7 June 1944 , " Empire Defiance " was scuttled at Sword Beach , Ouistreham , Calvados , France as part of Gooseberry 5 . She was salvaged in 1951 and towed by the tugs " Seaman " and " Superman " to Belgium for scrapping . On 21 August , " Empire Defiance " had to be beached off The Mole , Zeebrugge after developing a leak . She was refloated and arrived on 15 September at Antwerp for scrapping .