SS Empire Morn SS " Empire Morn was a 7 , 092 ton CAM ship which was built in 1941 . She saw service on a number of trade routes during the Second World War , making several crossings of the North Atlantic as well as voyages to Russia and Africa . She was badly damaged after hitting a mine in 1943 , and spent the rest of the war laid up as a hulk . She was subsequently sold and repaired , returning to service for several companies after the war , under the names San Antonio and Rio Pas " before being sold for scrapping in 1973 . " Empire Morn " is known for the death of the second youngest person in the British services to die in the war , 14 - year old galley boy Raymond Steed . She is also the only CAM ship whose fighter pilot died in action after his aircraft was launched from the ship . Wartime career . " Empire Morn " was built by Vickers - Armstrongs , Barrow - in - Furness as yard number 769 . She was launched on 1 July 1941 and completed in September 1941 . " Empire Morn " was built for the Ministry of War Transport and managed by E . J . Sutton & Co . She served in a number of convoys during the war , occasionally sailing between British ports , such as Methil and Southend , Milford Haven and Liverpool , as well as the Arctic convoy assembly point at Loch Ewe . She sailed several times to North America , as part of convoys ON 17 , ON 109 and ON 165 , and back again as part of convoys SC 49 , SC 50 , SC 54 and SC 122 . In January 1942 she sailed to Gibraltar as part of convoy OG 78 , returning to Liverpool in February with convoy HG 79 . " Empire Morn " was then assigned to the Arctic convoys , delivering supplies to the Soviet Union . She sailed in April 1942 as part of convoy PQ 15 to Murmansk , making the return journey in late April to May with convoy QP 12 . While she was sailing with QP 12 on 26 April her aircraft catapult she launched her single Hawker Hurricane , piloted by Flying Officer John Kendal . Kendal chased away a Blohm & Voss BV 138 and shot down a Junkers Ju 88 . According to the Fighter Direction Officer : " Some seconds later the Hurricane was seen to dive perpendicularly into the sea , followed immediately by Kendal , his parachute opening some 50ft before he reached the water . raced to the scene and picked him up at 1004 . They signalled that Kendal was alive but very seriously injured and later that he had died from his injuries . " " Empire Morn " returned to Russia in September with convoy PQ 18 . On 18 September Flying Officer Burr from " Empire Morn " destroyed two Heinkel He 111 s and then flew to the Russian Keg Ostrov aerodrome . " Empire Morn " arrived safely at Arkhangelsk , and returned to Britain with convoy QP 15 . Damaged by mine . " Empire Morn " shifted to warmer waters the following year , and in April 1943 she joined convoy OS / KMS 46 bound for Gibraltar " via " Casablanca . She was carrying a cargo of equipment destined for naval , army and RAF forces . She arrived at Casablanca on 25 April 1943 , and then set off for Gibraltar , and on 26 April 1943 , at , she struck a mine that had been laid by " U - 117 " on 10 April . A secondary explosion damaged the stern and blew out much of the crew accommodation . When the order was given to abandon ship , a head count of crew found 21 men missing . Among them was the 14 - year old galley boy Raymond Steed . Steed ' s body was found two days later , and he became the second youngest person in the British services to die in the war . He was 14 years and 207 days old . It was thought that he was the youngest wartime service casualty until February 2010 , when it was confirmed Reginald Earnshaw was actually younger , at 14 years and 152 days . The damaged " Empire Morn " was towed back into Casablanca , where she was expected to be declared a total constructive loss . She was however refloated and towed to Gibraltar , eventually arriving on 1 September 1943 . Hulked and postwar . The " Empire Morn " was not repaired , and was used as a store hulk at Gibraltar . She remained in this role until 1947 , when she was sold to F M Pereda , of Spain , as the " San Antonio " . She underwent repairs that involved the fitting of a new stern in Cadiz , that increased her length and tonnage . She sailed with F M Pereda , having been renamed " Rio Pas " later in 1947 , until 1963 . She was then sold to Marítima Colonial y de Comercio SA ( MARCOSA ) , of Madrid and remained in service with them until being scrapped at Santander in January 1973 .