Empire Bowman was a 7,030 GRT cargo ship built in 1942 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

She was operated under the management of Hain Steamship Co Ltd.[3] Empire Bowman was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.

[4] Convoy SL 126 departed Freetown, Sierra Leone on 12 March 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 1 April.

The captain, 39 crewmembers and six DEMS gunners were rescued by HMS Wear and landed at Liverpool.

For this act, he was awarded the Albert Medal on 17 August 1943, the citation read:[8] Ministry of War Transport, Berkeley Square, W.1.

Mr. Bastian made efforts to hold them both but lost one, so he dragged the other to the escape ladder and helped him on deck.

The more seriously injured man had practically to be lifted up the ladder by Mr. Bastian, who was himself half choked by cordite fumes.