SS Empire Darwin Empire Darwin was a British 6 , 765 GRT CAM ship built in 1941 by William Gray & Co . Ltd . , West Hartlepool , United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) . Her Hawker Sea Hurricane was involved in the last action by an aircraft flown off a CAM ship , shooting down a Focke - Wulf Fw 200 Condor on 28 July 1943 . She was sold into merchant service in 1945 and renamed Culrain in 1946 . In 1953 , she was in collision with a Spanish ship in the Strait of Gibraltar , sinking her . In 1959 , she was sold to Lebanon and renamed Mersinidi , operating under the Liberian flag . She served until 1966 , and was scrapped in 1967 . Description . The ship was built in 1925 by William Gray & Co Ltd , West Hartlepool . The ship was long , with a beam of . She had a depth of and a draught of . She was assessed at 6 , 710 GRT , 4 , 870NRT . History . World War II . " Empire Darwin " was launched on 13 May 1941 and completed in July . The United Kingdom Official Number 168927 and Code Letters BCMQ were allocated . Her port of registry was West Hartlepool . She was operated under the management of Evan T Radcliffe & Co Ltd . " Empire Darwin " arrived at Middlesbrough , Yorkshire on 19 July 1941 . Three days later , she joined Convoy EC 48 , which departed from Southend , Essex on 20 July and arrived at the Clyde on 25 July . On 24 July , " Empire Darwin " collided with . On 27 August , " Empire Darwin " departed from Belfast as part of Convoy ON 10 , which had departed from Liverpool , Lancashire that day and dispersed at sea on 11 September . She was bound for Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada , where she arrived on 13 September . Five day later , she sailed to Sydney , Cape Breton , arriving on 20 September . " Empire Darwin " was a member of Convoy SC 46 , which departed from Sydney on 24 September and arrived at Liverpool on 10 October . She was carrying a cargo of flour and wheat . She left the convoy at Belfast Lough on 10 October . The next day , she joined Convoy BB 87 , which arrived at Milford Haven , Pembrokeshire on 13 October . She left the convoy and sailed on to Avonmouth , Somerset , where she arrived the same day . " Empire Darwin " departed Avonmouth on 23 October for Milford Haven , arriving the next day and departing the day after that for the Clyde , where she arrived on 27 October . She departed the Clyde on 29 October to join Convoy OG 76 , which had departed from Milford Haven on 26 October and arrived at Gibraltar on 11 November . She the made a voyage to Mellila , Morocco and back to Gibraltar , arriving on 22 October . " Empire Darwin " was a member of Convoy HG 76 , which departed from Gibraltar on 14 December and arrived at Liverpool on 30 December . Her destination was Cardiff , Glamorgan , where she arrived on 27 December . " Empire Darwin " departed from Cardiff on 18 January 1942 and sailed to Liverpool via Milford Haven . She departed from Liverpool on 26 January as a member of Convoy OG 79 , which arrived at Gibraltar on 7 February . On 27 February , she departed Gibraltar for Mellila , returning two days later . " Empire Darwin " was a member of Convoy HG 80 , which departed from Gibraltar on 14 March and arrived at Liverpool on 26 March . She was carrying a cargo of iron ore . She left the convoy at the Barry Roads on 25 March and sailed to Cardiff , arriving on 28 March . " Empire Darwin " departed form Cardiff on 5 April for Milford Haven . On 7 April , she sailed from Milford Haven to join Convoy ON 84 , which departed from Liverpool on 8 April and arrived at Halifax on 25 April . She embarked her aircraft at Belfast on 8 April . She returned with Convoy SC 82 , which departed from Halifax on 30 April and arrived at Liverpool on 16 May . She was carrying a cargo of grain . She left the convoy at the Clyde on 15 May and then sailed to Belfast Lough to join Convoy BB 187 , which arrived at Milford Haven on 18 June . She left the convoy for her final destination of Cardiff , where she arrived on 17 June . " Empire Darwin " departed from Cardiff on 29 June for Milford Haven , arriving the next day and sailing the day after to Belfast Lough , where she embarked her aircraft and joined Convoy OG86 , which had departed from Liverpool on 2 July and arrived at Gibraltar on 14 July . She was carrying 22 cased Supermarine Spitfire s and twelve passengers . The Spitfires were bound for Malta . The Spitfires were Mark Vb aircraft . They were assembled at Gibraltar and loaded on board and flow to Malta as part of Operation Insect . " Empire Darwin " made a return trip to Mellila and returned to the United Kingdom with Convoy HG 87 , which departed from Gibraltar on 7 August and arrived at Liverpool on 18 August . She was carrying a cargo of iron ore . She departed Liverpool on 25 August for Holyhead , Anglesey , arriving the next day and joining Convoy BB 213 , which had departed from Belfast Lough that day and arrived at Milford Haven on 26 August . She sailed on to Cardiff , arriving on 27 June . " Empire Darwin " departed Cardiff on 2 September for Swansea , Glamorgan , arriving the next day . On 10 September , " Empire Darwin " departed Swansea for Milford Haven , from where she sailed on 11 September to join Convoy ON 130 . That convoy departed from Liverpool on 12 September and arrived at New York , United States on 30 September . She was carrying a cargo of coal with a destination of Halifax , where she arrived on 28 September . She sailed from Halifax three days later , joining Convoy ON 131 , which had departed from Liverpool on 18 September and arrived at New York on 4 October . She departed New York the next day for Portland , Maine , arriving on 7 October . " Empire Darwin " departed from Portland on 23 October for New York , arriving on 25 October , and joining Convoy HX 213 , which departed from New York on 26 October and arrived at Liverpool on 10 November . She was carrying a cargo of grain and lorries and 15 passengers . She left the convoy at the Clyde that day . " Empire Darwin " departed from the Clyde on 24 December as a member of Convoy KMS6G , which arrived at Bône , Algeria on 8 January 1943 . She left the convoy at Algiers on 7 January . She departed from Algiers on 20 January , joining Convoy MKS 6 , which had departed from Philippeville , Algeria on 19 January and arrived at Liverpool on 1 February . She left the convoy at Gibraltar , where she arrived on 23 January . On 7 February , she joined Convoy MKS 7 , which had departed from Algiers on 5 February and arrived at Liverpool on 17 February . Her destination was Glasgow . She left the convoy at the Clyde on 17 February . At some point during 1943 , management of " Empire Darwin " was passed to Christian Salvesen & Co Ltd , Leith . " Empire Darwin " departed from the Clyde on 14 March as a member of Convoy KMS 11G , which arrived at Bône on 28 March . She left the convoy at Algiers on 27 March . On 6 April , she departed from Algiers to join Convoy ET 17 , which had departed from Bône on 4 April and arrived at Gibraltar on 9 April . She departed from Gibraltar on 14 April , joining Convoy MKS 11 , which had departed from Bône on 10 April and arrived at Liverpool on 23 April . She was carrying a cargo of rails . She left the convoy at the Clyde , arriving on 24 April . " Empire Darwin " departed from the Clyde on 20 May to join Convoy KX 10 , which departed from Liverpool on 19 May and arrived at Gibraltar on 31 May . She was bound for Algiers , from where she departed on 27 June for Gibraltar , arriving on 29 June . On 1 July , she sailed to Casablanca , Morocco as a member of Convoy GC 18 , departing on 19 July as a member of Convoy CG 48 . " Empire Darwin " was a member of Convoy MKS 18G , which departed from Gibraltar on 23 July and rendezvoused with Convoy SL 133 at sea on 26 July . This was the last convoy to operate with CAM ships , which were being withdrawn . There were two CAM ships in the convoy , the other being " Empire Tide " . On 28 July , her Hawker Sea Hurricane shot down a Focke - Wulf Fw 200 Condor some west of Bordeaux , France . The aircraft crashed into the sea at at 19 : 45 British Double Summer Time ( 17 : 45 GMT ) . PO Stewart claimed a " probable " . He bailed out of his aircraft and was picked up by , on board which he enjoyed a hot bath and a glass of whisky . The next day , " Empire Darwin " was damaged by enemy bombing at . The combined convoy arrived at Liverpool on 5 August . She was carrying a cargo of phosphate s , and left the convoy at Rothesay Bay , Buteshire on 4 August . Two days later , she sailed to Loch Ewe , Ross - shire , from where she joined Convoy WN 465 . The convoy departed on 7 August and arrived at Methil , Fife on 9 August . She then joined Convoy FS 1190 which arrived at Southend on 11 August . " Empire Darwin " departed from Southend on 5 September as a member of Convoy FN 1118 , which arrived at Methil on 7 September . She then joined Convoy EN 278 , which departed that day and arrived at Loch Ewe on 9 September . She sailed on to the Clyde , arriving the next day . The bomb damage was repaired in Glasgow . She departed from the Clyde on 26 September to join Convoy KMS 28G , which departed from Liverpool on 26 September and arrived at Gibraltar on 7 October . She was carrying a cargo of stores bound for Italy . She departed Gibraltar that day as a member of Convoy KMS 28 , which arrived at Port Said , Egypt on 19 October . " Empire Darwin " left the convoy at Malta , arriving on 14 October and departing that day as a member of Convoy VN 4 . which arrived at Naples , Italy on 16 October . She departed from Naples that day for an unrecorded destination and arrived back at Naples on 25 October . " Empire Darwin " departed from Naples on 12 November as a member of Convoy NV 8 , which arrived at Augusta , Sicily the next day . On 17 November , she joined Convoy MKS 31 , which had departed from Port Said on 13 November and arrived at Gibraltar on 23 November . She then joined Convoy OS 59 , which departed from Gibraltar on 27 November and arrived at Freetown , Sierra Leone on 8 December . On 10 December , she departed Freetown as a member of Convoy ST 77 , which arrived at Takoradi , Gold Coast on 15 December . She departed Takoradi on 26 December for Lagos , Nigeria , arriving two days later and departing on 30 December for Port Harcourt , where she arrived on 31 December . " Empire Darwin " departed Port Harcourt on 7 January 1944 for Lagos , where she arrived three days later . On 16 January , she sailed for Freetown , arriving on 23 January . She was a member of Convoy SL 148 , which departed from Freetown on 1 February and rendezvoused with Convoy MKS 39 at sea on 12 February . The combined convoy arrived at Liverpool on 24 February . She was carrying a cargo of s and palm kernel s . " Empire Darwin " departed from Liverpool on 16 March for Cardiff , arriving two days later . She departed from Cardiff on 30 March for the Belfast Lough , where she arrived on 2 April . On 4 April , she joined Convoy OS 73KM , which had departed from Liverpool the day before and split at sea on 16 April . She was carrying a cargo of coal . " Empire Darwin " was in the part of the convoy which became Convoy KMS 47G and arrived at Gibraltar the next day . She departed from Gibraltar on 28 April for Tenerife , Spain , where she arrived on 1 May . Three days later , she departed for Las Palmas , arriving on 5 May . The next day , she joined Convoy OS 75 , which had formed at sea on 4 May and arrived at Freetown on 14 May . She departed Freetown on 19 May as a member of Convoy ST 81 , which arrived at Takoradi on 24 May . A week later , she departed Takoradi as a member of Convoy TS 59 , arriving back at Freetown on 7 June . " Empire Darwin " was a member of Convoy SL 161 , which departed Freetown on 11 June and rendezvoused with Convoy MKS 52 at sea on 21 June . The combined convoy arrived at Liverpool on 2 July . She was carrying a cargo of manganese ore . " Empire Darwin " sailed from Liverpool on 20 July for the Clyde , arriving the next day . She departed from the Clyde on 11 August to join Convoy OS 86KM , which had departed from Liverpool on 10 August and split at sea on 21 August . She was in the part of the convoy which became Convoy KMS 60 . This convoy sailed via Gibraltar to Port Said , arriving on 2 September . " Empire Darwin " left the convoy at Augusta on 29 August . She then joined Convoy AH 64 , which arrived at Bari on 31 August . She left the convoy at Taranto on 30 August . " Empire Darwin " sailed from Taranto on 15 September , joining Convoy HA 67 , which had departed from Augusta that day and arrived at Bari on 17 September . She then joined Convoy GUS 52 , which had departed from Port Said on 11 September and arrived at the Hampton Roads , Virginia , United States on 8 October . She left the convoy at Gibraltar on 22 September . " Empire Darwin " departed Gibraltar on 30 September as a member of Convoy OS 90 , which arrived at Freetown on 11 October . She sailed on to Takoradi , arriving on 15 October . She departed from Takoradi on 26 October for Freetown , arriving on 31 October . She departed Freetown on 7 November as a member of Convoy SL 176 , which rendezvoused at sea with Convoy MKS 67 at sea on 18 November . The combined convoy arrived at Liverpool on 24 November . " Empire Darwin " was carrying a cargo of manganese ore and two passengers . She left the convoy at the St Helens Roads , Lancashire on 24 November to join Convoy MTC 46 , which arrived at Southend the next day . She departed Southend on 30 November as a member of Convoy FN 1557 , which arrived a Methil on 2 December . She left the convoy at Middlesbrough on 1 December . " Empire Darwin " then sailed to the Tyne , from where she departed on 23 December as a member of Convoy FS 1675 , which had departed from Methil that day and arrived at Southend on 25 December . She then sailed to Milford Haven , from where she departed on 3 January 1945 as a member of Convoy OS102KM , which departed from Liverpool on 2 January and arrived at Gibraltar on 17 January . She was carrying a cargo of coal bound for Casablanca , which she reached as a member of Convoy GC 108 , arriving on 14 January . She departed from Casablanca on 22 January for Freetown , arriving on 31 January . She departed Freetown on 7 February for Casablanca , from where she departed on 19 February as a member of Convoy MKS 84G , which had departed from Gibraltar that day and arrived at Liverpool on 27 February . She was carrying a cargo of iron ore . She left the convoy at the Clyde that day . " Empire Darwin " departed the Clyde on 11 April to join Convoy OS 122KM , which departed from Liverpool on 12 April and dispersed split at sea on 18 April . She returned to the Clyde with defects reported , arriving on 14 April . Post - war . The defects rectified , " Empire Clyde " departed the Clyde on 21 May as a member of Convoy OS 130KM , which dispersed at on 24 May . Her destination was Naples , where she arrived on 3 June . She departed Naples on 14 June for Gibraltar via Bône , arriving on 25 June and sailing the same day for Antwerp , Belgium , where she arrived on 4 July . She departed four days later for Cardiff , arriving on 10 July . " Empire Darwin " departed Cardiff on 15 July for the Cape Henry , Virginia and the Hampton Roads , from where she sailed on 4 August for Charleston , South Carolina , arriving on 8 August . She departed Charleston the next day for Livorno , Italy , arriving on 2 September and departing the same day for Genoa , arriving the next day . " Empire Darwin " departed Genoa on 7 September for Freetown via Gibraltar , arriving at Freetown on 21 September and departing six days later for the Clyde , where she arrived on 15 October . She departed the Clyde on 26 November for Sydney and Halifax , where she arrived on 11 December . In 1945 , " Empire Darwin " was sold to her managers . In 1946 , " Empire Darwin " was sold to the South Georgia Co Ltd and was renamed " Culrain " . She remained under the management of Christian Salvesen . On 26 July 1953 , " Culrain " was on a voyage from Middlesbrough to Bône when she was in collision with the 1 , 375 GRT Spanish steamship in foggy weather in the Strait of Gibraltar ( ) . " Duero " had been on a voyage from Alicante to Las Palmas . She sank within an hour and a half , but her crew of 27 and single passenger were rescued by " Culrain " , which was only slightly damaged in the collision . They were transferred to and landed at Gibraltar . In 1959 , " Culrain " was sold to the North Europe & Persian Gulf Transport Corporation , Beirut , Lebanon , and was renamed " Mersinidi " . She was placed under the Liberian flag , with Monrovia as her port of registry . She was operated under the management of J Livanos & Sons Ltd . " Mersinidi " arrived on 30 December 1966 at Singapore for scrapping .