SS Letitia was an ocean liner built in Scotland for service with the Anchor-Donaldson Line.

At the start of the Second World War in September 1939, the British Admiralty requisitioned the ship for service and had it converted to serve as an armed merchant cruiser.

She was bought by the Ministry of Transport, which renamed her as Empire Brent and assigned Donaldson Brothers and Black to manage her.

She sailed on a number of voyages, at times carrying troops to the Far East, as well as being an emigration ship to Australia.

The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Govan built Letitia, launching her on 14 October 1924[2][3] and completing her in April 1925.

[5] She underwent a refit in 1927, and with the reforming of the company into the Donaldson Atlantic Line in 1935, Letitia was one of the assets retained.

[11][12] She spent most of her time in the Atlantic; initially between October 1939 and January 1940 deploying with the Halifax Escort Force.

[12] On 13 January 1941, Letitia ran aground at Halifax, Nova Scotia and was badly damaged.

[12] By now however it had become clear to the Admiralty that using liners such as Letitia as armed merchant cruisers left them too exposed to attack, without offering substantially increased protection.

She was able to sail to the United States for repairs, after which she was used by the Canadian government as a hospital ship, carrying 200 medical personnel and with a capacity for 1,000 patients.

[3][4] The Ministry assigned her to be operated on their behalf by her previous owners, now trading as Donaldson Bros & Black Ltd.[22] While sailing for Halifax from Britain in 1946, Empire Brent collided with Stormont in the River Mersey on 20 November 1946, sinking Stormont and requiring Empire Brent to sail to Birkenhead to be dry-docked for repairs to her bow.

[3] After six months out of service she was refitted to carry emigrants from the UK to New Zealand, and renamed Captain Cook.

[3][23] Captain Cook was then sold to BISCO, who towed her to Inverkeithing, where she arrived on 29 April 1960 to be scrapped.