The Lumen was built in 1925 as a petroleum tanker for H E Moss & Co Ltd, Liverpool by John Brown, Clydebank under their yard number 506.

During its first years of operation the Lumen achieved an availability as high as 85%, for its time spent at sea.

During 1942 the Ministry of War Transport renamed the ship the Empire Light.

Convoy FN 830 departing Southend on October 4th 1942 for Methil arriving October 6th 1942 with ten ships including the Empire Light which then formed part of the EN 146 from Methil departing October 6th 1942 arriving Loch Ewe on October 9th 1942 with twenty one ships including the Empire Light, which was noted as arriving with engine defects.

Convoy ON 140 departing Liverpool on October 17th 1942 and arriving New York on November 7th 1942 with forty eight ships including the Empire Light.

Convoy NK 511 from New York departing November 22nd 1942 for Key West arriving November 29th 1942 with twenty one ships including the Empire Light.

Convoy KN 213 from Key West departing December 17th 1942 and arriving New York on December 22nd 1942 with eleven ships including the Empire Light with a load of AvGas. Here the Empire Light transferred to convoy SC 115 departing New York on December 27th 1942 and arriving Liverpool on January 15th 1943 with thirty four ships.

The Empire Light sailed in ballast as part of convoy ON-168 from Manchester to New York on February 21st 1943. At about 18.20 hours on March 7th 1943 the U-638 attacked the straggler Empire Light some four hundred miles southwest of Cape Farewell. The ship was damaged and abandoned by its crew. Forty five men (39 crew members and six gunners) were lost whilst four crew members, including the Master and one gunner were picked up by the British destroyer HMS Beverley (H 64) and landed at St.Johns, Newfoundland.

Although abandoned the Empire Light did not sink immediately. It was found late in the evening of March 12th 1943 by U-468 which then sank the tanker at position: 53.57N, 46.14W.

Basic Details

Built: John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank
Launched: 1925
Tonnage: 6,537 tons
Deadweight: 9,000 tons
Length: 420.1 feet
Breadth: 54.4 feet
Draught: 32.8 feet
Propulsion: Two Brown-Sulzer 4S60 engines developing total of 2,500hp at 100 rpm
Screws: 2
Speed: 11.5 knots
Complement: about 45
O/N 147327

Page added September 9th 2007
Last updated September 21st 2007

Sources:
Convoy Web.

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