List of Empire ships (D)
[1] They were acquired from a number of sources: many were built for the government; others obtained from the United States; still others were captured or seized from enemy powers.
Empire Dabchick was a 6,089 GRT cargo ship which was built by Atlantic Corporation, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
[2] Empire Dace was a 716 GRT coaster which was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.
[3] Empire Daffodil was a 394 GRT coaster which was built by Van Diepen Scheepswerf Gebroeders NV, Waterhuizen, Netherlands.
Ran aground on 1 December 1967 off New Waterford, Nova Scotia with tanker Lubrolake and a barge, all three ships were total losses.
[6] Empire Daring was a 7,059 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow.
[8] Empire Darwin was a 6,765 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Gray & Co, West Hartlepool.
[10] Empire Dawn was a 7,241 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
[11] Empire Day was a 7,242 GRT CAM ship which was built by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
Used on the New York and Boston routes until 1929 when she was sold to Hamburg South America Line and renamed General San Martin.
[8] Empire Dee was a 7,839 GRT cargo ship which was built by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen.
On 20 October 1941, 60 lascar sailors refused to sail, claiming that the vessel was cursed and would be sunk before the next new moon.
The ship had been repainted with a black hull, white topsides, and a buff funnel, contrary to wartime regulations.
The flag of whichever nation's waters she was in at the time was painted on her hull, thus she was passed off as a French, Spanish and Italian ship.
Empire Defender was set on fire, her crew abandoned her and she blew up and sank 18 nautical miles (33 km) south of the Galite Islands, Tunisia.
[14] Empire Defiance was a 4,667 GRT cargo ship which was built by Reiherstieg Schiffswerfte & Maschinenfabrik, Hamburg.
Beached outside the dock entrance, refloated on 20 September 1965 but declared a constructive total loss and scrapped in November 1965 at Newport, Monmouthshire.
[18] Empire Derwent was a 4,026 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
[19] Empire Dirk was a 2,942 GRT cargo ship which was built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon, Ayrshire.
[27] Empire Don was a 2,553 GRT cargo ship which was built by Ropner & Sons, Stockton on Tees.
Maiden voyage to Cape Town started on 19 December 1936, but ran aground at East Lepe, in the Solent.
[29] Empire Dorothy was a 259 GRT tug which was built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley, Yorkshire.
[34] Empire Dove was a 2,503 GRT cargo ship which was built by NV Scheeps Gebr Pot, Bolnes, Netherlands.
Although she was taken in tow her cargo shifted and she sank on 28 November 60 nautical miles (110 km) west of La Rochelle, France.
[36] Empire Drayton was a 7,023 GRT cargo ship which was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend.
[37] Empire Driver was a 7,042 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
[40] Empire Drum was a 7,244 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
[42] Empire Dryden was a 7,164 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
[44] Empire Dunbar was an 8,187 GRT cargo ship which was built by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
[46] Empire Dunnet was a 7,373 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
