SS Empire Beatrice Empire Beatrice was a 7 , 046 GRT cargo ship which was built by Lithgows Ltd , Port Glasgow in 1942 . She was owned by the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) and managed by David Alexander & Sons . Although badly damaged during the war , she was repaired and sold into merchant service after the war ended . She served with various shipping companies as Beatrice N , Mary K , Winchester Prowess and Grazia Bottigliere , eventually being scrapped in 1966 . Description . " Empire Beatrice " was built for the MoWT by Lithgows Ltd , Port Glasgow . She was yard number 978 . The ship was launched on 23 February 1942 and completed in April that year . She had a GRT of 7 , 046 , NRT of 4 , 286 and a DWT of 10 , 750 . " Empire Beatrice " was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24½ inches ( 62 cm ) , and diameter and stroke . It was built by J G Kincaird Ltd , Greenock and developed . The ship was capable of . Wartime career . After completion , " Empire Beatrice " was placed under the management of David Alexander & Sons . Her port of registry was Greenock . " Empire Beatrice " was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War Convoy KMS 14 , sailed from Liverpool on 5 May 1943 and arrived at Gibraltar on 17 May . " Empire Beatrice " had commenced her voyage in the Clyde and was bound for Algiers , carrying a cargo which was to form part of a boom defence . Convoy MKS 20 sailed from Gibraltar on 31 July 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 10 August . " Empire Beatrice " was carrying a cargo of phosphate s and was bound for London . Convoy MKS 50 departed Alexandria on 20 May 1944 bound for the United Kingdom . " Empire Beatrice " joined the convoy at Oran . On 27 July 1944 , " Empire Beatrice " was torpedo ed in the Strait of Dover ( ) by German E - boats . She was beached at Dungeness where temporary repairs were made to make her fit enough for the forward section of the ship to be towed by the tugs " Empire Betsy " and " Empire Humphrey " to Tilbury , from where she was later towed to Glasgow for permanent repairs including a new stern . On 23 April 1945 , " Empire Beatrice " was being towed by tugs " Empire Larch " and " Thames " off Aberdeen when she was attacked by " U - 2326 " . HMT " Macbeth " sailed southwards from Aberdeen to escort the towing ships . This was the voyage that returned " Empire Beatrice " to the Clyde for repairs . Following the provision of the new stern , the ship was fitted with a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 23½ inches ( 60 cm ) , 37½ inches ( 95 cm ) and by stroke . It was built by John Brown & Co Ltd , Clydebank . Those lost whilst serving on " Empire Beatrice " during the war are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial , London . Postwar career . In 1946 , " Empire Beatrice " was sold to Cheriton Shipping Co Ltd and renamed " Beatrice N " . She was placed under the management of P B Pandelis Ltd , London . In 1952 she was sold to N G Kyrikades Shipping Ltd and renamed " Mary K " . In 1964 , she was sold to Winchester Shipping Co Ltd and renamed " Winchester Prowess " , operated under the management of G O Till , London . In 1966 , she was sold to B Bottigliere di Giuseppe , Naples and renamed " Grazia Bottigliere " . She was scrapped at Split , Yugoslavia , in March 1966 . A section of the original stern can be found in of water off Dungeness . Official Numbers and Code Letters . Official numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers . " Empire Beatrice " had the UK Official Number 168994 and used the Code Letters BFDN .