The SS Empire Florizel was a British cargo ship constructed in 1943 by Lithgows Ltd in Greenock, Renfrewshire. Designed for wartime service, she had a gross register tonnage of 7,056 GRT and measured approximately 432 feet 7 inches in length between perpendiculars, with an overall length of about 447 feet 6 inches. The vessel featured a beam of 56 feet 2 inches, a depth of 34 feet 2 inches, and a draught of 26 feet 8 inches. Her propulsion system consisted of a 520 nhp triple-expansion steam engine, built by John Brown & Co., which drove a single screw propeller, enabling her to operate efficiently during her brief service life. Empire Florizel was launched on 21 April 1943 and registered in Greenock, with the UK Official Number 169503 and code letters BFGY. Managed by J & G Harrison & Co., she carried a crew of 48, supplemented by 21 DEMS gunners, and was primarily tasked with transporting military and invasion supplies, including 4,000 tons of cargo, as well as 14 passengers. Her maiden voyage was with Convoy KMS 96G from the Clyde on 25 June 1943, passing Gibraltar and arriving at Algiers in early July, in preparation for the Allied invasion of Sicily, Operation Husky. Tragically, her service was cut short when, during her voyage to Augusta, Sicily, on 21 July 1943, Empire Florizel was bombed and sunk at Augusta. The attack resulted in the deaths of two crew members, four gunners, and three passengers. Two of her crew members are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London. Her short career and loss during the invasion of Sicily mark her as a notable, though tragic, example of wartime maritime operations.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.