Built by Short Brothers Limited, Sunderland (Yard No 394) and launched on 17th May 1920, this vessel measured 419.5′ x 53.8′ x 25.0′ and her tonnage was 4882 gross tons, 2889 net tons. She was powered by a 449 nominal horse power triple expansion engine manufactured by J Dickinson & Sons of Sunderland delivering 449 nominal horse power. Launched as the Eugenie S. Embiricos she was owned by S.G. Embiricos of Andros, Greece and registered there.
The Eugenie S Embiricos was part of convoy ON.057 which departed Liverpool on 14th January 1942. Her voyage had originated in London and she was bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia in ballast. As the convoy sailed through the North Channel and out into the Western Approaches they encountered a violent storm which scattered the convoy, part returning to the Clyde, and causing the loss of five vessels scattered among the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides. The detail related to the Eugenie S. Embiricos is not fully documented but, we do know she grounded south of Tiree during the night of 19th January and was disabled. She was taken in tow, possibly for the Clyde, but in the horrendous conditions the tow broke and rescuers were unable to re-connect. She eventually drifted ashore off Leanish Point, Isle of Barra on 21st January and grounded on an offshore reefs.
Word of her stranding first came through around 09:00am on 21st January when Barra lifeboat station received a call from Leanish Coastguard that a vessel had gone ashore off Leanish Point. The Barra lifeboat Lloyds was launched at 10:50am, reaching the casualty around 11:40am and established that she was the Eugenie S Embiricos of Andros. She had gone aground close to the steamship R J Cullen which was also part of convoy ON.057.
The crew were still aboard the Eugenie S Embiricos but the sea state was such that the lifeboat could not get along side her in the shallow waters around the reef. They stayed near Leanish until daylight on 22nd but, with the sea still too rough they watched as the crew of the stricken vessel launched one of their boats. This boat was manoeuvred out to the lifeboat in deeper water and the returned to the wreck. The lifeboat therefore was able to rescue 28 of the crew after three trips. Two of the crew had swum ashore overnight and four remained aboard including her master. They were finally taken off on the 23rd by a fishing boat. A few days later, on the 26th January, the lifeboat returned and rescued sixteen sheep that had been aboard. The bad weather and heavy swell eventually resulted in the total loss of the Eugenie S Embiricos when she broke into three sections and was written off as a constructive total loss by Lloyd’s of London.
Convoy ON.057 had been battered by a huge storm as it headed out into the Western Approaches. The vessels were unable to stay in formation and a number were lost. Of the 38 merchant vessels that formed the convoy, only 15 continued on and made their destinations of east coast ports in USA and Canada. A further 18 returned to the Clyde or other ports of Loch Ewe and Oban. This left four vessels stranded on offshore islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides in addition to the Eugenie S Embiricos. On the Isle of Tiree the cargo steamers Ingrid and Laristan were both aground although the Laristan was later refloated. On the Isle of Barra, the steamer RJ Cullen was joined a few days later by the Eugenie S Embiricos and to the south the Empire Homer on the Isle of Sandray. Stories of these shipwrecks can be found by following the links highlighted. The Barra lifeboat Lloyds had a particularly challenging period of service between the 16-26 January 1942, and we reproduce the full story from the Lifeboat Magazine below as it gives more detail of the rescue and an insight to the skill and gallantry of the lifeboat crew in what must have been frightening conditions.
The wreckage of the Eugenie S Embiricos is reported to lie in position 56° 57.418’N, 007° 25.405’W by the UK Hydrographic Office (UK HO), which is on the south west side of a reef called Sgeir a Charach. The site has been dived by a number of groups over the last 30 years and sparse diving information has been submitted and included in UK HO data sheet for this wreck. The wreckage is noted as lying between 2 and 10 metres. The wreck is well broken up although a few large sections are visible which may include the bow section.
The wreck was visited by the ship breaking firm of W.H. Arnott Young sometime in 1942 0r 43. It is not known if they purchased and worked the wreck, some images from their initial survey visit are included below. We would like to thank W. Sloan Smith for allowing us to reproduce pictures from his photographic collection which records the work of the ship breaking company – W.H. Arnott Young of Dalmuir and Troon.
We would also like to thank Lloyd’s Register Foundation – Heritage & Education Centre for allowing us to reproduce documents from their archive in this article.