The Ministry of War Transport, renamed her Empire Brigade, registered her in Newcastle and appointed Cairns, Noble & Co Ltd to manage her.

The convoy left Sydney on 5 October 1940, initially with only one escort ship, the Hastings-class sloop HMS Scarborough.

A wolf pack of U-boats found the convoy on 16 October and quickly overwhelmed it, sinking many ships over the next few days.

Empire Brigade survived until 0138 hrs on 19 October, when U-99 torpedoed and sank her in the Western Approaches about 100 nautical miles (190 km) east-southeast of Rockall.

The Shoreham-class sloop HMS Fowey rescued her master and 34 crew members and landed them at Greenock.