SC 7 was the code name for a large Allied World War II convoy of 35 merchant ships and six escorts, which sailed eastbound from Sydney, Nova Scotia, for Liverpool and other United Kingdom ports on 5 October 1940. While crossing the Atlantic, the convoy was intercepted by one of the first Kriegsmarine submarine wolfpacks. During the ensuing battle, the escort was completely overwhelmed and 20 of the 35 cargo vessels were sunk and 2 more damaged, with 141 lives lost. The disastrous outcome of the convoy demonstrated the German submarines' potential of being able to work more efficiently using wolfpack tactics and the inadequacy of British anti-submarine tactics at the time.
HMS La Malouine was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy, serving during the Second World War. Originally ordered by the French Navy under the same name, following the fall of France, the ship was seized by the United Kingdom and commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1940. The corvette remained in service until being broken up in 1947.
SS Assyrian was a cargo ship that was built in Hamburg for German owners in 1914, transferred to British owners in 1920 as war reparations and sunk by a U-boat in 1940. She was launched as MS Fritz, and when she changed owners in 1920 she was renamed MS Assyrian. She had been built as a motor ship but in 1925 she was converted to a steamship and became SS Assyrian.
SS Corinthic was a British cargo steamship. She was built on Teesside in 1924, sailed in a number of convoys in the Second World War, survived an overwhelming German attack on Convoy SC 7 October 1940, but was sunk by a German U-boat off West Africa in April 1941.
SS Somersby was a British cargo steamship that was built in 1930, sailed in a number of convoys in the Second World War and was sunk by a U-boat in 1941.
The SS Thorøy was a Norwegian steam merchant ship. She had an eventful life, surviving the First World War and going on to see action during the Second World War. During the latter conflict she sailed in a number of convoys, surviving air and "wolfpack" attacks.
SS Fiscus was a UK cargo steamship that was built in 1928, served in the Second World War and was sunk by a U-boat in 1940.
The SS Empire Miniver was a British steam merchant ship. She was originally an American merchant, launched in 1918 as SS West Cobalt. During a brief stint in the United States Navy in 1919, she was known as USS West Cobalt (ID-3836).
The SS Eaglescliffe Hall was a bulk freighter initially built to serve the Canadians on the Great Lakes. She left the lakes during the Second World War to transport goods around Britain, but returned in 1959. She sank off the west Coast of Canada in 1961 after conversion to a log barge.
SS Scoresby was a British cargo steamship that was built in 1923, sailed in a number of transatlantic convoys in 1940, and was sunk by a U-boat that October.
The SS Snefjeld was a steam merchant ship that saw service through two world wars, at first under the Dutch flag, followed by the Norwegian.
USS West Lianga (ID-2758) was a cargo ship for the United States Navy during World War I. She was later known as SS Helen Whittier and SS Kalani in civilian service under American registry, as SS Empire Cheetah under British registry, and as SS Hobbema under Dutch registry.
Empire Antelope was a 4,782-ton cargo ship which was built as Ophis in 1919. She was renamed Bangu in 1928. In 1941 she was renamed Empire Antelope. She was sunk by the German submarine U-402 on 2 November 1942.
Norhauk was a 6,086 GRT refrigerated cargo ship which was built to Design 1015 by G. M. Standifer Construction Company, Vancouver, Washington in 1919 as Waban for the United States Shipping Board (USSB). After service with Lykes Brothers-Ripley Steamship Co Inc she was transferred to the Ministry of Shipping in 1940 and renamed Empire Sambar. A boiler-room explosion damaged her in 1941. After repairs she was renamed Empire Beaver. She was transferred to the Norwegian Government in 1942 and renamed Norhauk, serving until she struck a mine and sank in December 1943.
Empire Buffalo was a 6,404 GRT Design 1105 cargo ship which was built in 1919 as Eglantine by Skinner & Eddy for the United States Shipping Board (USSB). She was sold in 1933 to the Lykes Brothers-Ripley Steamship Corporation. In 1940 she was sold to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Buffalo. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-125 in 1942.
Empire Dell was a 7,065 GRT CAM ship that was built in 1941 by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She served until May 1942, when she was torpedoed and sunk by U-124 whilst a member of Convoy ONS 92.
Empire Frost was a 7,005 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1940 by Lithgows, Port Glasgow for the Ministry of War Transport. She was bombed and sunk in St Georges Channel on 13 March 1941 on the return leg of her maiden voyage.
Empire Fusilier was cargo ship which was built as Mincio in 1921 by Cantiere Cerusa, Voltri, Italy for Pietro Ravano Fu Marco, Genoa. She was seized as a prize of war in 1940, passing to the Ministry of Shipping and renamed Empire Fusilier, serving until torpedoed and sunk by U-85 in 1942.
SS Llanashe was a UK cargo steamship. She was launched in 1936 in Sunderland, England, and sunk by a U-boat in the Indian Ocean in February 1943.
SS Nailsea Court was a UK cargo steamship. She was launched in 1936 in Sunderland, England. She was named after Nailsea Court in Somerset, England, which is an historic Elizabethan manor house. A U-boat sank her in the North Atlantic in March 1943. 45 men died and only four survived.
