SS Empire Javelin

History
United Kingdom
Name	Cape Lobos (laid down) Empire Javelin (completed)
Owner	MoWT
Operator	Blue Star Line
Port of registry	London
Builder	Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, CA
Launched	25 October 1943
Completed	January 1944
Identification	UK official number 169774 Call sign MYMQ
Fate	Sunk on 28 December 1944
General characteristics
Tonnage	7,177  GRT tonnage under deck 6,087 4,823  NRT
Displacement	11,650 long tons
Length	396.5 ft (120.9 m)
Beam	60.1 ft (18.3 m)
Depth	35.0 ft (10.7 m)
Propulsion	2 × steam turbines, single screw
Sensors and processing systems	wireless direction finding gyrocompass
Armament	1 × 4 inch gun 1 × 12 pdr gun 12 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

SS Empire Javelin was an Infantry Landing Ship or "LSI (Large)" in service with the UK in the latter part of the Second World War. Launched on 25 October 1943, she was a United States Maritime Commission C1-S-AY1 subtype, one of thirteen similar ships built by Consolidated Steel Corporation.

SS Empire Javelin served as a troop ship in Operation Overlord, starting with the initial landings on the beaches on 6 June 1944 ("D-Day"). ^[1] She was lost on 28 December 1944 while en convoy to France with 1,483 troops aboard somewhere around the midpoint between Southampton, southern England, and Le Havre, France. ^[2] She may have been torpedoed by German submarine U-322, active in the area on the same day, ^[3] or struck a mine. ^[4]

History

SS Empire Javelin was built by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California as the Cape Lobos, and transferred under the terms of lend lease on completion in January 1944. ^{[5] [6]} She was bareboat chartered by the War Shipping Administration to the Ministry of War Transport and managed by Blue Star Line. ^{[6] [7]}

Action on D Day

The Empire Javelin arrived in Portsmouth late in the summer of 1943 where she took delivery of 18 British designed Thornycroft Land Crafts (LCA's). Sailing north, the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy crews spent many weeks in training off Holy Loch in Scotland, practicing raising and lowering her LCA's and firing her protective anti-aircraft guns in preparation for D-Day. The Royal Naval gunners came under the command of Lt. John Gilmour RNVR.

Lt John Gilmour RNVR, Gunnery Officer on board the SS Empire Javelin

The ship sailed from Portland Harbour anchorage on 5 June 1944, destined for Dog Green Omaha Beach, Normandy, after embarking troops of the 1st Battalion 116th Infantry regiment of US 29th Division by landing craft from Weymouth, Dorset. ^[8] Members of Company A, 116th Infantry, were from Bedford, Virginia. where the United States' National D-Day Memorial is located.

The 551st Landing Craft Assault (LCA) Flotilla, crewed by Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) of Combined Operations, was based aboard Empire Javelin on D-Day. Six of the eighteen LCAs of the flotilla were lost on 6 June, with the remainder being severely damaged. ^[9] The Flotilla was commanded by Lt. James Green RNVR whose memoirs can be accessed from the BBC Archives.

L'Escarmouche, a Free French frigate escorting SS Empire Javelin that rescued her survivors

Loss, December 28th, 1944

SS Empire Javelin embarked 1,483 US servicemen at Southampton for Le Havre, France on 28 December 1944. She was in convoy with USS LST-325 and escorted by the Free French frigate L'Escarmouche . In the English Channel on the afternoon of the 28th there was an explosion without warning at 50°5′N1°0′W / 50.083°N 1.000°W / 50.083; -1.000 ; at least 20 people died and 20 more injured. ^[10] The L'Escarmouche was called alongside once the extent of the damage had been assessed, and for approximately an hour the men on board the Empire Javelin jumped from the ship. HMS Hargood (K582) arrived to assist, standing off nearby on submarine watch. Two minutes after the last man jumped off, there was a large explosion and the ship began settling by the stern. About 10 minutes later she was completely submerged. ^{[10] [11]}

Empire Javelin on sea trials in Holy Loch, 1943

Initially it was thought that the ship had been torpedoed by German submarine U-772, ^[12] but it was later revealed that U-772 was sunk earlier that month. ^[13] Another U-boat, U-322, was active in the area on the same day, and was sunk on the next day south of Weymouth. ^[3] There is no definitive proof of what sank the Empire Javelin although eye witness reports would suggest that she first struck a mine and then exploded. ^[4]

Most recently research has thrown new light onto the OMAHA beach landings. In Empire Javelin D-Day Assault Ship - The British Vessel that landed the 116th US Infantry on Omaha Beach. author Philip Bujak established that the ship was crewed by men of both the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy and opened up the debate about the effectiveness and suitability of the use of the British Thornycroft LCA's for the landings. The book established that, in 1938, during trials of various new designs of landing craft by the Royal Marines, it took 75% longer to exit the Thornycroft LCA compared to its next nearest rival and yet the Thornycroft was chosen as it was suitable for stealthy operations by commando forces.

A rare painting of the Empire Javelin which was painted by Surgeon Lt. W.V.S. Naunton - the ships Doctor during D Day - was also recently discovered and restored.

Philip Bujak with the recently discovered and restored painting of the Empire Javelin.

Privates Robert Guyser and Peter Golden on the deck of the Empire Javelin on her final voyage.

Notes

1. "Omaha Beach: American Troops". D-Day: The assault. D-Day: Etat Des Lieux.
2. Schoichet's account of the sinking of Empire Javelin: "Noon of December 28 found us approaching the half way mark in the channel...Suddenly, without warning, the whole world erupted."
3. 1 2 Pocock, Michael W. "Daily Event for December 28, 2007". Maritime Quest.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2014). "Empire Javelin". Ships not hit by U-boats. Guðmundur Helgason.
5. Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 113.
6. Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships (PDF). 1945. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
7. "Empire – H –I – J". The 'Empire' Ships. Mariners.
8. Winser, John de S (1994). The D-day Ships. Kendal: World Ship Society. p. 37. ISBN   0-905617-75-4.
9. "BBC - WW2 People's War - the Royal Navy on Omaha Beach".
10. The Daily Mirror, 11 July 1945
11. Some pictures of the sinking can be seen here
12. Mitchell, WH; Sawyer, LA (1990). The Empire Ships (2nd ed.). London: Lloyd's of London Press. p. 427. ISBN   1-85044-275-4.
13. Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2014). "U-772". List of all U-boats. Guðmundur Helgason.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8.

Further reading

• Balkoski, Joseph (2006). Omaha Beach, D-Day, June 6, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN   978-0-8117-3376-2.
• Kay-Bujak, Phillip (2024). Empire Javelin, D-Day Assault Ship. Pen and Sword Maritime. ISBN   9781399035811.