Empire Tide

MV Empire Tide

(Argonaut AR-1222)

Notes: Built for Ministry of War Transport. Operated by the Royal Mail Line.
Part of Convoy PQ-17, departing Reykjavik, Iceland 27 Jun 1942, with 35 cargo ships, 6 destroyers, and 15 other armed vessels. Convoy was sighted 1 Jul and attacked by aircraft repeatedly from the next day. Late on 4 July, the convoy was ordered to disperse because the German battleship Tirpitz was believed to be closing (actually she was not). The convoy was slaughtered, losing 24 ships to combined air and submarine attacks. Empire Tide was one of the few to make it through, and she distinguished herself by rescuing many survivors from other ships that had been sunk. Her master, Capt. Frank Willis Harvey received the D.S.O. for his actions.
The CAM ships were ordered disbanded in Jun 1943; the last two to escort a convoy were Empire Tide and Empire Darwin departing Gibraltar 23 Jul. German intelligence had monitored the disbandment order and on 28 Jul sent long-range planes to attack the convoy when it was halfway to Britain thinking it would have no air cover. Both ships launched their fighters and two FW Kondors were shot down, the last engagement for the CAM ships.
Postwar she served as Thirlby, Guri, and Anto for a number of different owners until being scrapped in 1966.