Empire Dryden was a 7,164 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1941 by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

[4] Empire Dryden made her maiden voyage on 27 February 1942, departing from Sunderland to join Convoy FN 642,[5] which had departed from Southend, Essex the previous day and arrived at Methil, Fife on 28 February.

[9] She left the convoy at the Cape Cod Canal that day and sailed to New York, arriving on 1 April.

[5] Empire Dryden departed from New York on 17 April,[5] laden with 7,000 long tons (7,100 t) of general cargo and military stores.

On 19 April, she reported the position of some from the survivors of the Argentine tanker Victoria to USS Owl, which was nearby.

One lifeboat with 25 of the crew and the three DEMS gunners on board was last seen on 22 April, and is presumed to have foundered in a gale sometime during the next two days.

The other lifeboat, with 22 crew and three DEMS gunners on board, sailed for 450 nautical miles (830 km) until the survivors were spotted by the American passenger ship City of Birmingham at 30°37′N 77°15′W / 30.617°N 77.250°W / 30.617; -77.250 (lifeboat of SS Empire Dryden) and rescued.