John Lyras was a 7,513 GRT heavy lift ship that was built in 1942 as Empire Elaine by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, Barrow in Furness, Lancashire, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

The United Kingdom Official Number 167744 and Code Letters BFCX were allocated.

[2] Empire Elaine departed from Barrow in Furness on 6 November 1942 for Liverpool, Lancashire, arriving the next day.

On 23 December, Empire Elaine detached from the convoy bound for Freetown, Sierra Leone,[4] which was reached via Bathurst, South Africa.

[3] Empire Elaine was a member of Convoy SR 2, which departed on 24 February and arrived at Gibraltar on 8 March.

[3] As part of Operation Husky, Empire Elaine was a member of Convoy KMS 18B, which departed from the Clyde on 24 June.

Empire Elaine departed later that day of Bombay, India, where she arrived on 16 September.

[12] She departed the next day as a member of Convoy JC 34, which arrived at Calcutta, India on 28 January.

[3] Empire Elaine then joined Convoy MB 63, which departed on 27 January and arrived at Bombay on 1 February.

[22] Empire Elaine was a member of Convoy JC 49, which departed on 20 May and arrived at Calcutta on 27 May.

[25] Empire Elaine was the only merchant ship in Convoy BA 74A, which departed on 1 July escorted by HMIS Bombay.

[26] She departed on 11 July as the only merchant ship in Convoy BA 74B, escorted by HMS Rosebay.

[29] She then joined Convoy SM 1C, which departed on 12 August in support of Operation Dragoon.

[35] The same two ships then formed Convoy CJ 44A, which departed on 29 November and arrived at Cochin on 5 December.

[3] Empire Elaine then sailed to Akyab, Burma, from where she departed on 16 May for Vizag, arriving two days later.

[3] In January 1946, Captain Inman, master of Empire Elaine was awarded an OBE for his service during the war.

[42] In 1947, Empire Elaine was sold to Marine Enterprises Ltd and renamed John Lyras.

She was operated under the management of Lyras & Lemos Bros Ltd, London,[1] remaining under the British flag.

In 1950, John Lyras was one of the ships that participated in the evacuation of Hŭngnam, North Korea.

[43] In 1959, John Lyras was sold to Viking Shipping Corporation, Monrovia, Liberia.

In 1970, John Lyras was sold to the New Frontier Shipping Co Inc, Monrovia, and was renamed Boundary.

[44] Boundary was operated under the management of Gersigny & Co (Pty) Ltd, Durban, South Africa.