SS Empire Engineer Empire Engineer was a refrigerated cargo ship that was built in 1921 as Canadian Commander by Canadian Vickers Ltd , Montreal , Canada . She was sold to an Italian firm in 1932 and renamed Giaocchino Lauro . She was seized by the United Kingdom in 1940 , passed to the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) and renamed " Empire Engineer " . She served until 4 February 1941 when she was torpedo ed and sunk by . Description . The SS Empire Engineer was built in 1920 by Canadian Vickers Ltd , Montreal . She was yard number 79 . The ship was long , with a beam of . She had a depth of , and a draught of . She was assessed at 6 , 570 GRT , 4 , 005 NRT . 8 , 400 DWT . The ship was propelled by a 520 nhp triple expansion steam engine , which had cylinders of , and diameter by stroke . The engine was built by Canadian Vickers Ltd , Montreal . She had of refrigerated cargo space . Refrigeration machinery was by the Lightfoot Refrigeration Co Ltd . History . " Canadian Commander " was launched in 1920 , with completion in April 1921 . She was built for the Canadian Government and operated by the Canadian Government Merchant Marine Ltd ( GCMM ) . Her port of registry was Montreal , under the British flag . The United Kingdom Official Number 141832 and Code Letters TQDW were allocated . On 3 July 1922 , " Canadian Commander " ran aground at Saint Pierre and Miquelon . She was refloated on 16 July . Following the demise of CGMM in 1928 , " Canadian Commander " was transferred to Canadian Commander Ltd and placed under the management of Canadian National Steamships Ltd . In 1932 , " Canadian Commander " was sold to Achille Lauro , Naples , Italy and renamed " Gioacchino Lauro " . Her port of registry was Naples . The Italian Official Number 383 was allocated . From 1934 , her Code Letters were IBOG . She was assessed as 5 , 345 GRT , 3 , 151 NRT . On 10 June 1940 , " Gioacchino Lauro " was in port at Hartlepool , Co Durham when against the United Kingdom . The ship and her cargo were seized as a prize of war , " Gioacchino Lauro " was passed to the MoWT and renamed " Empire Engineer " . " Empire Engineer " was placed under the management of Weidner , Hopkins & Co Ltd . She regained her previous Official Number . The Code Letters GLYG were allocated . Her port of registry was West Hartlepool , Co Durham . She was assessed at 5 , 358 GRT , 3 , 230 NRT . Little is known of her war service . She was a member of Convoy OA 216 , which departed from Methil , Fife on 18 September 1940 and joined Convoy OB 216 at sea on 21 September . " Empire Engineer " was in ballast and bound for Baltimore , Maryland . " Empire Engineer " was a member of Convoy SC 20 , which departed from Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada on 22 January 1941 and arrived at Liverpool , Lancashire , United Kingdom on 8 February . She was carrying a cargo of steel ingots bound for Newport , Monmouthshire . " Empire Engineer " straggled behind the convoy . At 16 : 44 German time on 4 February , she was hit by a torpedo fired by and sank within four minutes at . Although some survivors were seen to have taken to liferaft s , all 39 crew were lost . They are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial , London .