Harland and Wolff - Shipbuilding and Engineering Works

The Empire Gem was less than a year old when it was sunk. The tanker was travelling from Port Arthur, TX carrying 10,600 tons of gasoline. It's ultimate destination was the United Kingdom by way of Halifax, Nova Scotia. A veteran of the Atlantic convoys, the tanker was armed with a stern-mounted 4 in. gun, several machines guns and a 12 pound anti-aircraft gun.

The Empire Gem had been travelling up the coast in a zig-zag course and overtook the bulk-ore carrier Venore just as the ships were entering the Diamond Shoals area. Little did the crew of the Gem know, but the U-66 had been stalking the Venore. One of the legs of its zig-zag course brought the Gem between the u-boat and its intended target. After sinking the Empire Gem, the U-66 turned its attention back to the Venore who by this time was racing towards shore. It sunk the Venore with its last torpedo. Meanwhile, the Empire Gem was a raging inferno, keeping its forward speed while burning at the stern. The engines were finally stopped, but by the next morning the stern had fallen away and sunk (24th January 1942). The surviving crew managed to anchor the blazing bow section, but it flipped over and sank the next day.

Only two of the 57 crew members survived.