SS Empire Bell

Empire Bell was a 1,744 GRT collier which was built by Öresundsvarvet, Landskrona, Sweden as the 2,023 GRT passenger ship Belgia in 1930. In 1940 she was rebuilt as a cargo ship. In 1941, she was damaged by enemy bombing and burnt out. She was salvaged and sold to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), repaired and renamed Empire Bell. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-442 on 25 September 1942.

Description

Belgia was built by Öresundsvarvet, Landskrona. She was yard number 28 and was launched on 11 January 1930 with completion on 7 May. She was 286 feet 6 inches (87.33 m) long, with a beam of 40 feet 2 inches (12.24 m) and a depth of 28 feet 4 inches (8.64 m). Her GRT was 2,023, with a NRT of 1,074. She was originally built as a passenger ship.

Career

Belgia was owned by Förnyade Ångfartygs Aktiebolag Götha. She was managed by F Sternberg, Gothenborg, trading as the Gotha Line. Her port of registry was Gothenborg.Belgia was employed on the Gothenborg - Antwerp route. In 1940, she was withdrawn from service and converted to a cargo ship, or collier. The rebuilt ship was 1,744 GRT. During the Second World War, Belgia was a member of a number of convoys.