SS Empire Brigade

Hannington Court in Antwerp
History
Name
  • 1912: Hannington Court
  • 1936: Elios
  • 1940: Empire Brigade
Owner
Operator
  • 1912: Haldinstein & Co
  • 1915: Haldin & Co
  • 1929: Haldin & Philipps
  • 1936: Achille Lauro
  • 1940: Cairns, Noble & Co Ltd
Port of registry
BuilderJohn Priestman & Co, Sunderland
Yard number239
Launched10 October 1912
CompletedNovember 1912
Identification
Fatesunk by torpedo, October 1940
General characteristics
Typecargo steamship
Tonnage5,166 GRT, 3,217 NRT
Length400.0 ft (121.9 m)
Beam53.5 ft (16.3 m)
Draught23 ft 9 in (7.24 m)
Depth26.6 ft (8.1 m)
Decks1
Installed powertriple-expansion engine; 440 NHP
Propulsion1 × screw
Speed10 knots (19 km/h)
Crew41

SS Empire Brigade was a cargo steamship. She was built for Court Line in 1912 as Hannington Court. In 1936, Achille Lauro bought her and renamed her Elios. In 1940, the United Kingdom seized her as a war prize; and the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) took her over. She became an Empire ship, with the name Empire Brigade. Four months later, a German U-boat sank her by torpedo, killing six members of her crew.

She was the first of three Court Line ships that were called Hannington Court. All three were built at shipyards in Sunderland. The second was a motor ship that was built in 1939, and caught fire and sank in 1941. The third was a motor ship that was built in 1954; sold in 1963 and renamed; and scrapped in 1976.