List of Empire ships (A)

[1] They were acquired from a number of sources: many were built for the government; others obtained from the United States; still others were captured or seized from enemy powers.

Empire Abbey was a 7,032 GRT refrigerated cargo ship built in 1943 by Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne and managed by Elder & Fyffes Ltd. Sold to Royal Mail Lines and renamed Teviot in 1946.

[3] Empire Ability was a 7,603 GRT cargo ship built in 1931 by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen.

[5] Empire Activity was a 5,287 GRT cargo ship built in 1919 by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Wallsend.

Later converted to merchantman MV Breconshire, scrapped in Mihara, Japan in April 1967 Empire Addison was a 7,010 GRT cargo ship built in 1940 by Lithgows Ltd., Port Glasgow.

Lost at sea in 1955 whilst being towed by tug Albacore en route to Hong Kong for scrapping.

Sold in 1936 to Società Anonima di Navigazione Garibaldi, Genoa and renamed Barbana G. Captured off Newcastle upon Tyne 10 June 1940.

[14] Empire Albatross was a 4,714 GRT cargo ship built in 1919 by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Sparrows Point.

[16] Empire Alde was a 3,675 GRT refrigerated cargo ship built in 1934 by Bremer Vulkan Schiff- und Maschinenbau, Bremen.

[18] Empire Aldgate was a 3,485 GRT heavy lift ship built in 1945 by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool.

[20] Empire Alliance was a 9,909 GRT tanker built in 1945 by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland and managed by Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co., London.

Sold in 1947 to United Steel Companies, Sheffield and operated by Workington Harbour & Dock Board, renamed Solway.

[17] Empire Antelope was a 4,753 GRT cargo ship built in 1919 by Todd Drydock and Construction Company, Tacoma.

[25] Empire Antigua was a 7,331 GRT cargo ship built in 1946 by Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.

[26] Empire Anvil was a 7,177 GRT landing ship built in 1943 by the Consolidated Steel Corporation in Wilmington, Los Angeles.

Returned to MoWT in 1946 and renamed Empire Anvil, again managed by Furness, Withy & Co. To United States Maritime Commission in 1947.

The proposed sale to China in 1948 was postponed and she was renamed Empire Anvil in 1950 and laid up in James River, Virginia.

[27] Empire Archer was a 7,031 GRT cargo ship built in 1942 by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Dunbar and managed by Raeburn & Verel Ltd. Sold in 1946 to H Hogarth & Sons, Glasgow and renamed Baron Murray.

[29] Empire Arnold was a 7,045 GRT cargo ship built in 1942 by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.

Returned to MoWT in 1945 and renamed Empire Arquebus under the management of Donaldson, Brothers and Black Ltd. To United States War Shipping Administration in 1946.

[31] Empire Arthur was a 780 GRT coastal tanker built in 1942 by Grangemouth Dockyard Co. Ltd. Capsized and sank off Freetown 22 November 1943 and declared a total loss.

[32] Empire Arun was a 5,490 GRT cargo ship built in 1922 by Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste.

Questions were asked by the Select committee on Welsh Affairs about the scrapping of the tug as there was public outcry at the time.

[36] Empire Asquith was a 7,082 GRT cargo ship built in 1944 by Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Sold in 1957 to Compagnia de Navigazione Phoenix, Panama and renamed Argosy, flying the Liberian flag.

[2] Empire Athelstan was a 7,803 GRT heavy lift ship built in 1946 by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd., Barrow in Furness and initially managed by P Henderson & Co. passing to Alfred Holt & Company later in 1946.

Ran aground at Mehidia, Morocco on 10 January 1970 after suffering engine trouble and declared a total loss.

Rebuilt as a cargo ship for MoWT and renamed Empire Attendant, managed by Andrew Weir & Co Ltd (Bank Line).

[7] Empire Avocet was a 5,963 GRT refrigerated cargo ship built in 1919 by the Moore Shipbuilding Co., Oakland.

To United States Maritime Commission in 1937 and MoWT in 1942, managed by New Zealand Shipping Co. Torpedoed and sunk on 29 September 1942 by U 125 at 04°05′N 13°23′W / 4.083°N 13.383°W / 4.083; -13.383.