Empire Purcell

Names and owners

Year	Name	Owner
1942	Empire Purcell	British Government

Fate

Bombed and sunk by aircraft off northern Norway, on May 27th, 1942. The ship was in convoy PQ-16 (information as given by Mr W. G. Smith) on a voyage from Middlesbrough to northern Russia with stores and general cargo. Eight hands were lost including two from West Hartlepool: William Allan Smithson, aged 21 and Oswald Flint Brown, aged 29.

The other six crew members lost were: Donald Gee Fletcher, Thomas William Janson, David Kitchener Pattison, Frederick George Roberts,William Smith and Robert Telfer Wharton.