List of Empire ships (U–Z)
Suffix beginning with U
''Empire Unicorn''
Empire Unicorn was a 7,067 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool. Launched on 29 October 1943 and completed in December 1943. Allocated in 1945 to the French Government and renamed Pierre Corniou. Sold in 1950 to Société Navale de l'Ouest and renamed Saint Andre. Sold in 1953 to O Wallenius, Stockholm and renamed Otello. Sold in 1956 to L Jeansson AB, Stockholm and renamed Apollo. Sold in 1961 to Polska Zegluga Morska, Poland and renamed Kopalnia. Relegated to a storage vessel at Gdynia in 1971 and renamed MP-ZP-GDY 7.''Empire Union''
Empire Union was a 5,952 GRT cargo ship which was built by Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste. Completed in 1924 as Salvore. Sold in 1937 to Lloyd Triestino and renamed Sistiana. Seized on 10 June 1940 as a war prize by the South African Navy in Table Bay. To the South African Government and renamed Myrica. To MoWT in 1941 and renamed Empire Union. Torpedoed on 26 December 1942 and sunk by at while a member of Convoy ON 154.''Empire Unitas IV''
Empire Unitas IV was a 341 GRT whaler which was built by Bremer Vulkan Schiff- und Mashcinenbau, Bremen. Completed in 1937 as Unitas 4 for Jurgens Van Den Bergh Margarine Verkaufs Union GmbH, Hamburg. Requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1940. Seized in May 1945 at Flensburg. To MoWT and renamed Empire Unitas IV. Scrapped in 1955 in Port Glasgow.''Empire Unitas V''
Empire Unitas V was a 341 GRT whaler which was built by Bremer Vulkan Schiff- und Mashcinenbau, Bremen. Completed in 1937 as Unitas 5 for Jurgens Van Den Bergh Margarine Verkaufs Union GmbH, Hamburg. Requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1940. Seized in May 1945 at Flensburg. To MoWT and renamed Empire Unitas IV. Scrapped in 1954 in Port Glasgow.''Empire Unitas VIII''
Empire Unitas VIII was a 341 GRT whaler built by Bremer Vulkan Schiff- und Mashcinenbau, Bremen. Completed in 1937 as Unitas 8 for Jurgens Van Den Bergh Margarine Verkaufs Union GmbH, Hamburg. Requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1940. Seized in May 1945 at Kiel. To MoWT and renamed Empire Unitas VIII. Sold in 1956 to Union Whaling Co Ltd, South Africa and renamed Sir Liege. Scrapped in October 1961 in Durban.''Empire Unitas X''
Empire Unitas X was a 339 GRT whaler built by F Schichau GmbH, Danzig. Completed in 1939 as Unitas 10 for Jurgens Van Den Bergh Margarine Verkaufs Union GmbH, Hamburg. Requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1940. Seized in May 1945 at Emden. To MoWT and renamed Empire Unitas X. Sold in 1956 to Union Whaling Co Ltd and renamed C P Robinson. Scrapped in January 1963 in Durban.''Empire Unity''
Empire Unity was a 6,386 GRT cargo ship which was built by AG Weser, Bremen. Completed in 1927 as Biscaya for J T Essberger, Hamburg. Captured on 19 October 1939 by north of Iceland and escorted to Leith. To MoWT and renamed Empire Unity. Torpedoed on 4 May 1945 and damaged by south-west of Iceland and abandoned. Later reboarded and sailed to Hvitanes, Faroe Islands and then on to Reykjavík for temporary repairs. Departed Reykjavík on 20 June 1945 under tow bound for Methil and then Leith where she was repaired. Sold in 1947 to Store ship Transports Ltd, London and renamed Stordale. Sold in 1961 to T Pappadrinitriou, Greece and renamed Mageolia. Arrived under tow on 9 October 1963 at Cerigo where she was used as a depot ship. Arrived under tow on 12 April 1966 at Burriana, Spain for scrapping.''Empire Upland''
Empire Upland was a 683 GRT dredger which was built by William Simons & Co Ltd, Renfrew. Launched on 26 December 1944 and completed in February 1945. Sold in 1945 to the Superintendent Civil Engineer, Bombay. To the Indian Navy in 1949 and renamed INS Nirmal.''Empire Ure''
Empire Ure was a 2,570 GRT cargo ship which was built by Van Duivendijks Scheepswerft, Lekkerkerk. Launched in 1920 as Willem Van Driel Sr.. Sold in 1927 to Kohlen-Import und Poseidon, Königsberg, renamed Rheinland. Requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1940. Seized as a prize in May 1945. To MoWT and renamed Empire Ure. Sold in 1947 to Crete Shipping Co., renamed Amberstone. Sold in 1950 to D. A. Psychoyos, Greece and renamed Metamorfosis. Ran aground at Ijmuiden on 2 December 1950. Broke in two, a total loss.''Empire Usk''
Empire Usk was a 3,229 GRT cargo ship which was built by Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne. Completed in 1918 as War Combe. Sold in 1920 to Oakwin Steamship Co and renamed Watsness. Operated under the management of Sir W R Smith & Sons Ltd. Sold in 1927 to Mervyn Steamship Co, Newport, Monmouthshire and renamed Marklyn. Ran aground on 20 January 1942 at Crammag Head, Port Logan. Cargo of iron ore discharged but she was damaged further in storms. Refloated on 5 June 1942 and arrived under tow on 17 June 1942 at Glasgow. Repaired, to MoWT and renamed Empire Usk. Sold in 1946 to Constants Ltd and renamed Heminge. Sold in 1948 to Crete Shipping Co Ltd, London and renamed Bluestone. Sold in 1953 to Grosvenor Shipping Co and renamed Grosvenor Mariner. Operated under the management of Moller Line Ltd. Scrapped in September 1955 in Hong Kong.Suffix beginning with V
''Empire Valour''
Empire Valour was a 2,906 GRT cargo ship which was built by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool. Launched on 22 February 1943 and completed in May 1943. Sold in 1948 to Eskgarth Shipping Co Ltd and renamed Eskgarth. Operated under the management of H M Lund, London. Sold in 1951 to Uskside Steamship Co Ltd and renamed Uskmouth. Operated under the management of R W Jones & Co, Newport. Sold in 1963 to Compagnia Marabello San Nicolas, Panama and renamed Alexandra K. Sold in 1968 to Pateras Bros Ltd, Greece and renamed Aristios II. Sold in 1969 to Reinato Marino Navigazione SA, Panama. Scrapped in June 1971 in Piraeus, Greece.''Empire Vauxhall''
Empire Vauxhall was a 2,025 GRT collier which was built by Grangemouth Dockyard Co Ltd, Grangemouth. Launched on 30 November 1944 and completed in March 1945. Sold in 1946 to William France, Fenwick & Co Ltd and renamed Braywood. Sold in 1960 to Faruk & Ozmelek, Turkey and renamed Abdullah. Sold in 1976 to Kalkavan Ziya Koll, Sirketi, Turkey and renamed Taylan Kalkavan. Scrapped in April 1982 at Aliaga, Turkey.''Empire Venture''
Empire Venture was a 12,639 GRT factory ship which was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne. Completed in 1929 as Vikingen. Sold in 1938 to Hamburger Walfang-Kontor GmbH, Hamburg and renamed Wikinger. Requisitioned in 1939 by the Kriegsmarine. Formally seized by Royal Navy on 16 June 1945 at Kiel. To Howaldtswerke yards, Kiel, for repair and refit, August–November 1945. To MoWT November 1945 and renamed Empire Venture. Deployed to the Southern Ocean on British account c 20 November 1945. Allocated to USSR by Tripartite Merchant Marine Commission at Berlin, 7 December 1945. Whaling equipment fitted at Kiel removed at Liverpool, June–September 1946. Handed over to USSR in Britain 26 September 1946 and renamed Slava. Re-refitted, presumably at Liverpool, September–December 1946. Sailed from Liverpool 22 December 1946 for the first Soviet whaling season in the Antarctic. Sold to Japanese buyer in 1971 and renamed Fuji Maru. Scrapped in October 1971 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan.''Empire Venus''
Empire Venus was an 8,159 GRT tanker which was built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Govan. Laid down as Empire Venus but taken over by the Admiralty on 28 January 1944 and name cancelled. Launched on 6 July 1944 and completed in November 1944 as RFA Wave Monarch for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Sold in March 1960 to H G Pound, Portsmouth and used as an oil hulk at Le Havre, replacing RFA Wave Conqueror. Sold in 1960 to Società Miroline and renamed Noema. Arrived on 8 April 1964 at Bilbao, Spain for scrapping.''Empire Vera''
Empire Vera was a 292 GRT tug which was built by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby. Launched on 14 May 1945 and completed in December 1945. Sold in 1947 to United Towing Co Ltd and renamed Rifleman. New steam engine fitted in 1949. On 3 June 1949 she was assisting Tradesman towing to Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland, for scrapping when Norjerv broke in two and sank. Scrapped in November 1967 at Blyth, Northumberland.''Empire Viceroy''
Empire Viceroy was a 7,803 GRT heavy lift ship which was built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, Barrow in Furness. Launched on 8 April 1943 and completed in August 1943. Sold in 1954 to Gypsum Carriers Inc and renamed Harry Lundeberg. Operated under the management of Kaiser Gypsum Co, United States. Renamed Ocean Carrier in 1957. Laid up on 13 November 1971 at Los Angeles. Arrived on 11 July 1973 under tow at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping.''Empire Victory''
Empire Victory was a 21,846 GRT factory ship which was built by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen. Completed in 1937 as Unitas for Unitas Deutsche Walfang GmbH. Requisitioned in 1939 by the Kriegsmarine. Seized in May 1945 at Flensburg. To MoWT and renamed Empire Victory. The Bomb damage was repaired in July 1946 by Harland & Wolff, Southampton. Then refitted by Silley, Cox & Co Ltd, Falmouth, Cornwall. To Ministry of Food, operated under the management of United Whalers Ltd. Sold in 1950 to Union Whaling Co Ltd, South Africa and renamed Abraham Larsen. Sold in 1957 to Taiyo Gyogyo KK, Japan. Rebuilt with new diesel engines, now 27,059 GRT and renamed Nisshin Maru No 2. Scrapped in March 1987 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan.