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.

She served with various shipping companies as Beatrice N, Mary K, Winchester Prowess and Grazia Bottigliere, eventually being scrapped in 1966.

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.

[7] On 27 July 1944, Empire Beatrice was torpedoed in the Strait of Dover (50°55′N 01°02′E / 50.917°N 1.033°E / 50.917; 1.033) 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.

[10] Those lost whilst serving on Empire Beatrice during the war are commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial, London.